Monocyte activation in congestive heart failure due to coronary artery disease and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate plasma tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha, tumor necrosis factor alpha soluble receptor I, interleukin-1beta and neopterin concentrations as markers of monocyte activation in patients with heart failure.


METHODS
The group consisted of patients with heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy (n=19) and coronary artery disease (n=11). Patients without cardiac failure served as controls (n=10).


RESULTS
TNFalpha concentrations were elevated only in heart failure patients with coronary artery disease (2.9+/-0.3 pg/ml versus 1.7+/-0.3 pg/ml; P<0.05). When the patients were grouped according to acute and chronic failure, TNFalpha concentrations were significantly elevated in acute failure (3.1+/-0.4 pg/ml, n=6 versus 1.7+/-0.2 pg/ml, n=8; P<0.05). TNFalpha concentrations were elevated in patients with coronary artery disease and chronic heart failure compared to coronary artery disease patients without failure (2.0+/-0.4 pg/ml, n=6 versus 1.8+/-0.3 pg/ml, n=7; P<0.05). A higher proportion of patients with myocardial insufficiency showed increased lipopolysaccharide-inducible TNFalpha concentrations (10/30 versus 0/9, P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
TNFalpha is elevated in patients with acute cardiac decompensation. Among patients with chronic heart failure only those with coronary artery disease exhibit increased levels. Cytokine concentrations are similar in heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy and coronary artery disease. Monocytes of patients suffering from cardiac insufficiency show an increased sensitivity towards stimuli such as lipopolysaccharides.
Vonhof
S
S
Department of Cardiology and Pulmonology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany.
Brost
B
B
Stille-Siegener
M
M
Grumbach
I M
IM
Kreuzer
H
H
Figulla
H R
HR
D015415:Biomarkers; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
D015415:Biomarkers; D007375:Interleukin-1; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha