Short-term impact of kampo goreisan in patients with congestive heart failure refractory to tolvaptan-incorporated medical therapy

We often encounter patients with congestive heart failure refractory to conventional diuretics therapy. Kampo goreisan (Tsumura &Co. Tokyo, Japan) is receiving great concern in mediating body water balance, particularly for such a cohort. However, its detailed biological mechanism remains uncertain. Patients who received goreisan to treat congestive heart failure refractory to tolvaptan-incorporated medical therapy were prospectively included and observed for one week during the therapeutic period. The change in urine biomarkers during the first 24 h was assessed as a primary concern. Baseline factors associated with an increase in urine volume during the first 24 h were investigated as a secondary concern. A total of 18 patients were included. Median age was 81 (77, 86) and 12 (67%) were men. During the first 24 h after the initiation of goreisan, urine cyclic AMP tended to decrease, urine aquaporin-2 decreased significantly, urine osmolality decreased significantly, and urine volume tended to increase. Baseline higher common logarithm of plasma B-type natriuretic peptide was associated with any increases in urine volume during the first 24 h with an odds ratio of 73.2 (95% confidence interval 1.04–5149, p = 0.048). Baseline plasma B-type natriuretic peptide level had a positive correlation with a change in urine volume between baseline and day 1 (r = 0.533, p = 0.026). Goreisan may increase urine volume even in patients with congestive heart failure refractory to tolvaptan-incorporated medical therapy by modulating aquaporin-2 systems in the collecting duct, particularly in individuals with advanced heart failure accompanying significant congestion. Goreisan may have a regulatory effect on body fluid, rather than just forcing aquaresis.