Relationship between cytokines and tumour markers in patients with chronic heart failure.
OBJECTIVE
Serum levels of some cytokines and tumour markers are elevated in patients with chronic heart failure (HF). We aimed to investigate the relationship between circulating levels of cytokines and tumour markers in patients with HF.


METHODS
We included 35 HF patients and 33 normal controls. HF patients were divided into two groups: mild HF (NYHA class I/II) (n=10) and severe HF (NYHA class III/IV) (n=25). Serum cytokine levels (TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and IL-10) were measured by ELISA and tumour markers (CA 125, CA 19-9, CA 15-3, CEA and AFP) by chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay.


RESULTS
Serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-10 as cytokines, and CA 125 and CA 19-9 as tumour markers were significantly higher in HF patients than in normal controls (p<0.0001 for all). Serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-10 and CA 125 in the severe HF patients were significantly higher than in the mild HF patients (p<0.001 for all). Correlation analysis showed that CA 125 was positively related to TNF-alpha (r=0.624, p<0.001), IL-6 (r=0.671, p<0.001), and IL-10 (r=0.545, p<0.001) in HF.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings show that CA 125 is markedly elevated in patients with HF, and correlates with serum TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-10 levels. Therefore, we speculate that among the tumour markers studied, only CA 125 is closely related to the cytokine system.
Kosar
Feridun
F
Department of Cardiology, Inonu University, Faculty of Medicine, Turgut Ozal Medical Center, 44069, Malatya, Turkey. mferidunkosar@yahoo.com
Aksoy
Yuksel
Y
Ozguntekin
Gulacan
G
Ozerol
Ibrahim
I
Varol
Ercan
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10