Long-term follow-up of patients with myocarditis and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy after immunomodulatory therapy.
The randomized clinical trial with interferon-alpha (IFN) or thymic hormones versus conventional therapy was conducted in patients with myocarditis and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC). We enrolled 180 patients to receive IFN (3-5 million units per day) for 3 months, thymomodulin (10 mg three times per week) for 2 months, or conventional therapy alone. Patients were followed-up for 7 years after the end of treatment. Left ventricular function, exercise tolerance and survival rate were significantly better at long-term follow-up in patients treated with IFN or thymomodulin, than in conventionally treated patients. These results implicate that immune modulating therapy might represent important contribution in the treatment of myocarditis and IDC.
Mirić
M
M
Cardiology Department, Dedinje Clinic of Cardiovascular Diseases, Beograd, Yugoslavia.
Misković
A
A
Brkić
S
S
Vasiljević
J
J
Keserović
N
N
Pesić
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000628:therapy*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013949:Thymus Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
D016898:Interferon-alpha; D013949:Thymus Extracts; C051006:thymomodulin