Abstract: Objective To investigate the relationship between serum copeptin level and the severity of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) with heart failure (HF). Methods A total of 40 DCM patients with HF (HF group) were classified into New York Heart Association (NYHA) class Ⅲ group (17 cases) and NYHA class Ⅳ group (23 cases) according to NYHA cardiac function classification. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD) values were detected. A total of 40 healthy subjects were enrolled as control group. Simultaneously copeptin and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels were determined. Results The levels of serum copeptin and NT-proBNP in HF group were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.01), and they increased with the increasing of NYHA classification (P<0.01). There was a significantly positive correlation of copeptin with NT-proBNP and NYHA classification (r=0.71 and 0.62,P<0.01). There was a negative correlation of copeptin with LVEF(r=-0.36,P<0.05). Conclusions The level of copeptin can be used as a parameter for the clinical diagnosis and patient′s condition assessment in DCM patients with HF.

Key words: Copeptin, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, Dilated cardiomyopathy, Heart failure