The October 28, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology featured a study conducted in New Zealand which found that coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) levels are an independent predictor of survival in chronic heart failure patients. Coenzyme Q10 is a compound that occurs in all cells, which is needed for the production of energy. Studies have shown that depleted CoQ10 levels could worsen chronic heart failure.The current study evaluated 236 heart failure patients with a median age of 77 years upon admission to Christchurch Hospital. Blood plasma samples were analyzed for coenzyme Q10, cholesterol and other factors. Participants were followed for a period of up to 5.75 years, during which 76 deaths occurred.
The median range of plasma CoQ10 among the study’s participants was 0.68 micromoles per liter. At twelve months of follow-up, the 29 nonsurvivors were found to have lower plasma levels of CoQ10 compared with the 205 survivors. Over the entire follow-up period, 39 percent of the participants who had CoQ10 levels lower than 0.73 micromoles per liter died, compared with 22 percent of those whose levels were higher. Multivariable analysis determined that higher plasma CoQ10 levels, whether above the median level or greater than 0.73 micromoles per liter, were an independent predictor of survival. Continue Reading
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