Low CoQ10 in Patients with Heart Failure

Myocardial deficiency of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has been demonstrated in patients with heart failure, and the severity of the deficiency correlates with the severity of symptoms.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between plasma CoQ10 and survival in patients with chronci heart failure (CHF).

Plasma samples from 236 patients (median age 77 years) admitted to hospital with CHF, with a median follow-up after 2.69 years (range: 0.12 to 5.75 years), were assayed for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, total cholesterol and total CoQ10.

Results

The median CoQ10 concentation was 0.68umol/L (range: 0.18-1.75umol/L). The optimal CoQ10 concentration for prediction of mortality (established with receiver-operator characteristic [ROC] curves) was 0.73umol/L. Multivariable analysis allowing for effects of standard predictors of survival indicated CoQ10 was an independent predictor of survival.

Conclusion

An independent association between lower CoQ10 and increased risk of mortality in CHF was found. It is recognised that CoQ10 deficiency occurs in CHF and that this might compromise mitchondrial function. It is therefore possible that CoQ10 deficiency might be an important pathogenic mechanism associated with worse outcomes in CHF.

Molyneux SL, Florkowski CM, George PM, Pilbrow AP, Frampton CM, Lever M, et al. Coenzyme Q10: an independent predictor of mortality in chronic heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol 2009 Oct 28; 52(18):1435-1441.