[Mitochondrial bioenergetics in patients before and after heart transplantation].

BACKGROUND

The results of the study of biochemical and genetic characteristics of mitochondria in human medicine become widely used in practice. This is confirmed also by the Nobel Symposium which took place in 1994, and was dedicated to the problem of mitochondrial diseases and the effect of their therapy. Relatively rare is the information on the pathobiochemistry of heart muscle mitochondria in patients with cardiomyopathies. No information, so far, is available on oxidative phosphorylation in cases of myocardium transplantation in patients. MAIN PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES: To bring early metabolic changes in mitochondria within EMB (endomyocardial biopsy) under control in patients after transplantation of the heart (Htx). These detected metabolic changes can contribute to the clarification of the mechanisms participating in the rejection of the transplanted myocardium.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The investigated group of patients included: a) patients with cardiopathies of unclear origin (NYHA II, NYHAIII) b) patients after transplantation of the heart (NYHAI-II) The authors assessed the properties of the respiratory chain and ATP production in mitochondria of EMB.

CONCLUSIONS

The new methodical approach to the study of bioenergy of mitochondria of the myocardium in patients allows an early recognition of pathobiochemical changes in myocardium. Supplementing studies are going to reveal wether the presented methodical approach bear diagnostic value. (Fig. 3, Ref. 25.).