title: [Cytokine networks and their endogenous modulators in patients with congestive heart failure].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the pathophysiological role of cytokine network and their endogenous modulators in the development of congestive heart failure (CHF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6(IL-6), soluble TNF receptor I (sTNF-RI) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay in 52 CHF patients with various degrees of heart failure and in 30 healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with CHF had increased plasma concentrations of TNF alpha, IL-6 and sTNF-RI, but decreased levels of TGF-beta. They also had elevated ratios of TNF-alpha/sTNF-RI and TNF-alpha/TGF-beta, particularly those in functional class IV. The levels of TNF-alpha were positively correlated with IL-6 and sTNF-RI but negatively correlated with TGF-beta(P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The imbalance in the cytokine network were most pronounced in patients with the most severe heart failure. CHF may be accompanied by a shift toward enhanced levels of inflammatory cytokines combined with inadequately raised or even decreased levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines. A poorly regulated cytokine network may be involved in the development and progression of CHF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kunming General Hospital, Chengdu Military Area, Kunming 650032, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000097:blood; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012995:Solubility; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha