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Int J Angiol 1994; 3(1): 16-19
DOI: 10.1007/BF02014907
Original Articles

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Exercise-induced increase in plasma concentrations of calcitonin gene-related peptide in patients with coronary heart disease and healthy controls

P. Lechleitner1 , Ch. Haring2 , J. Mair1 , N. Genser1 , Ch. J. Wiedermann1 , F. Dienstl1 , A. Saria3
  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
  • 2Department of Neurochemistry, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
  • 3Department of Psychiatry, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Publication History

Publication Date:
22 April 2011 (online)

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Abstract

Calcitonin gene-related peptide is a potent regulator of vascular tone. In the present study the authors investigated plasma levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity (CGRP-LI) during maximum bicycle exercise in 8 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and in a control group of 11 healthy volunteers. There was no significant difference in CGRP-LI baseline concentrations between patients with CHD and controls. During exercise a significant increase in CGRP-LI was observed in both groups, as compared with baseline values. Although maximum CGRP-LI values did not differ significantly between the two groups, the increase in CGRP-LI was found at a much-lower work load (p = 0.0006) in patients with CHD.

The results suggest that CGRP-LI is involved in the regulation of vascular tone during physical exercise in humans.