Evaluation of curative effect of chronic Keshan disease treated by captopril and metoprolol

Objective To observe the curative effect of captopril and metoprolol in the treatment of chronic Keshan disease (CKD). Methods One hundred and ninty-five patients with CKD chosen from Juxian, Wulian, Yishui, Pingyi, Sishui and Zoucheng in Shandong Province were randomly assigned to control group, captopril group and metoprolol group according to NYHA cardiac functional grading. All cases were given diuretics, digitalis and vasodilating agents as routine treatment. On this basis, captopril and metoprolol was administered in captopril group and metoprolol group respectively. After 12 months of follow-up visit, the causes of cardiac death, hospitalization status and the changes of heart size, electrocardiogram, blood pressure and heart rate were all observed. Results It was found that the mortality of captopril group and metoprolo] group was 4.76% (3/63), 5.00% (3/60) respectively, both lower than the control group 10.61%(7/66). But this difference had no statistically significance(P=0.39). Besides, the hospitalization days of each year in captopril group and metoprolol group was respectively (19.12± 20.35) and(18.86±21.52)days, much more reduced than in the control group[(21.45±21.74)days, q=3.17, 3.38, P 0.05). The elimination coefficient of ectopic rhythm in metoprolol group [56.5% (13/23)] was pronounced higher than the control group and captopril group [23.8% (5/21), 22.7% (5/22)], but differences had no statistically significance(P=0.0358,0.0331, all P>0.0125). Significant differences were found in systolic blood pressure(SBP), diastolic blood pressure(DBP) and heart rate(HR) in three groups prior and post-treatment(F=47.51,44.23,80.66, all P 0.05). There was no difference in SBP, DBP or HR among three groups before treatment(F=0.28,0.57,1.80, all P>0.05). After treatment, SBP and DBP in captopril group, metoprolol group and the control group[(109.0±10.9), (112.2±12.8), (114.7±13.2)mm Hg, (69.3±7.2), (72.1±9.5), (73.3±9.3)mm Hg] were all lowered compared with pre-treatment[ (117.1±13.4), (119.0±14.4), (117.6±14.1)mm Hg and (74.2±10.2), (76.3±10.8), (75.4±11.1)mm Hg, t=4.79,4.47,2.08,5.12, 4.32,2.15, all P 0.05]. After treatment, both SBP and DBP of captopril group were significantly lower than that in the control group (q=3.52,3.56, all P<0.05); HR was reduced in metoprolol group, lower than that in captopril group and control group(q=5.44,3.73, all P<0.01). Conclusions Having a tendency of depressing mortality, captopril and metoprolol can reverse or delay myocardial remodeling and reduce admission rate in a safe,reliable and economic way, and are worth to be widely used in the treatment of chronic Keshan disease. Key words: Keshan disease; Captopril; Metoprolol; Treatment outcome