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An abstract of the article "Combined testosterone and insulin-like growth factor deficiency impairs quadriceps strength in men with chronic heart failure," by E. A. Jankowska and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the study "Does Andropause Exist in Men With Chronic Heart Failure, and Is It Linked to Multiple Anabolic Deficiency," by E. A. Jankowska and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the study "Depletion in More Than One Endocrine Anabolic Axis Identifies Men With Chronic Heart Failure of Particularly High Long-Term Mortality," by B. Biel and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the study "Bone Status and Bone Loss Over Time in Men With Chronic Heart Failure, And Their Clinical and Hormonal Determinants," by E. A. Jankowska and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the study "In Chronic Heart Failure Overactive Chemokine System Is Associated With Immune Activation, Low Grade Inflammation and Predicts Loss of Fat Tissue," by H. Bukowska and B. Millo, is presented.

An abstract of the study "The Activation of the NF-kappaB System in Chronic Heart Failure," by E. A. Jankowska and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the study "Endotoxin in vitro stimulates proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with mild stable chronic heart failure, whereas in oedematous patients promotes apoptosis," by E. A. Jankowska and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the article "Periodic breathing is frequent during the daytime in stable patients with heart failure and is related to impaired exercise tolerance and abnormal autonomic reflex control," by T. Witkowski et al., is presented.

An abstract of the article "Sexual complaints in men with chronic heart failure: prevalence and hormone determinants," by E. A. Jankowska and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the article "Poor outcome of diabetic patients with coronary artery disease and coexisting heart failure," by B. Ponikowska and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the study "Serum Hepcidin Is Not Linked to Iron Status in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure," by A. Grzeslo and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the study "Reduction in Serum Testosterone Deteriorates Exercise Capacity in Men in the Course of Chronic Heart Failure," by E. A. Jankowska and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the article "Depression in Men With Chronic Heart Failure: Prevalence and Hormone Determinants," by E. A. Jankowska and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the study "Oscillatory Ventilation at Rest Coexisting With Increased Ventilatory Response to Exercise Allow to Identify Heart Failure Patients With Very Poor Outcome," by K. Nowak and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the study "Iron Deficiency Is a Common Finding in Patients with Stable Chronic Heart Failure," by A Grzeslo et al is presented.

An abstract of the study "Anaemia in Men with Chronic Heart Failure: An Element of Multiple Anabolic Depletion," by B. Biel and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the study "Systemic activation of skeletal muscle ergoreceptors is associated with the progression of the syndrome of chronic heart failure," by M. F. Piepoli and colleagues, is presented.

An abstract of the study "Oscillatory ventilation during exercise: independent predictor of increased mortality in patients with stable chronic heart failure," by T. Wilkowski and colleagues, is presented.

An abstract of the study "In Chronic Heart Failure Elevated Homocysteine Level Is Related to Impaired Metabolism and Endothelial Dysfunction," by B. Millo and W. Banasiak, is presented.

An abstract of the study "Anemia Is Independent Predictor of Poor Outcome in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure," by W. Banasiak, is presented.

An abstract of the article "Ergoreflex Contribution to Ventilatory Response Assessed During Exercise of Forearm and Quadriceps Muscles in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure," by A. Kaczmarek and colleagues, is presented.

An abstract of the study "Adrenal and Gonadal Andropenia Is Related to Clinical Severity and Increased Mortality in Men With Chronic Heart Failure," by J. Majda and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the study "Reduced bone mineral density in men with chronic heart failure and its pathophysiological mechanisms," by E. A. Jankowska and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the article "Increased number of CD4+ T cells in the peripheral blood in patients with chronic heart failure," by E. A. Jankowska et al., is presented.

An abstract of the article "Body composition and prognosis in 511 chronic heart failure patients: results from three European centers," by M. Cicoira et al., is presented.

While the ventilatory response to hypoxia is known to be mediated by the carotid bodies, the origin of the haemodynamic alterations evoked by hypoxia is less certain. Bilateral carotid body removal (CBR) performed to treat congestive heart failure may serve as a model to improve our understanding of haemodynamic responses to hypoxia in humans. We studied six congestive heart failure patients before and 1 month after CBR [median (interquartile range): age, 58.5 (56-61) years old; and ejection fraction, 32 (25-34)%]. Peripheral chemosensitivity (hypoxic ventilatory response) was equated to the slope relating lowest oxygen saturation to highest minute ventilation following exposures to hypoxia. Likewise, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate (HR) slopes were calculated as slopes relating the lowest oxygen saturations to the highest SBP, DBP and HR responses. We found that CBR reduces the hypoxic ventilatory response (91%, P < 0.05), SBP (71%, P < 0.05) and DBP slopes (59%, P = 0.07). In contrast, the HR slope remained unchanged. The dissociation between the blood pressure and HR responses after CBR shows involvement of a different chemoreceptive site(s) maintaining the response to acute hypoxia. We conclude that carotid bodies are responsible for ventilatory and blood pressure responses, while the HR response might be mediated by the aortic bodies. The significant reduction of the blood pressure response to hypoxia after CBR suggests a decrease in sympathetic tone, which is of particular clinical relevance in congestive heart failure.