Effects of carvedilol on plasma levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in nine patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.
OBJECTIVE
Whether beta-blocker therapy changes the circulating levels of cytokines as congestive heart failure improves remains uncertain.


METHODS
Nine patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, who had previously received conventional treatment and were classified as New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II, received carvedilol by stepwise dose increase up to 20 mg daily, and the plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels were measured.


RESULTS
IL-6 was significantly reduced from 0.80 +/- 0.49 pg/ml before therapy to 0.21 +/- 0.08 pg/ml after carvedilol was increased to 20 mg daily (p < 0.05). Moreover, IL-6 level had already decreased significantly compared to the baseline when the dose of carvedilol had reached 10 mg daily (0.28 +/- 0.12 pg/ml, p < 0.05). TNF-alpha levels did not change significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate that IL-6 concentration is significantly decreased by beta-blocker therapy. The efficacy for heart failure may be related to the change of IL-6 concentration.
Matsumura
Takayoshi
T
Department of Cardiology, Sakakibara Heart Institute, Yoyogi 2-5-4, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0053.
Tsushima
Kensuke
K
Ohtaki
Eiji
E
Misu
Kazuhiko
K
Tohbaru
Tetsuya
T
Asano
Ryuta
R
Nagayama
Masatoshi
M
Kitahara
Koichi
K
Umemura
Jun
J
Sumiyoshi
Tetsuya
T
Hosoda
Saichi
S
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000077261:Carvedilol; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D002227:Carbazoles; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011412:Propanolamines; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000077261:Carvedilol