[C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 serum levels increase as Chagas disease progresses towards cardiac failure].
OBJECTIVE
Chagas disease is the most common cause of myocarditis in Latin America, including Venezuela. Some 25% of patients progress to chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy, which is characterized by heart failure and arrhythmias. The serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) have prognostic value in non-chagasic cardiopathy. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between the serum levels of CRP and IL-6 and the developmental stage of Chagas disease.


METHODS
The study included 64 Chagas disease patients (34 female and 30 male; age 62.2 [1.7] years) and 20 healthy individuals (10 of each sex; age 50.4 [2.7] years). Clinical investigations included echocardiography and measurement of CRP and IL-6 serum levels using ELISAs. Chagas disease patients were graded according to Carrasco et al 1994 classification. Patients with ischemic cardiopathy, liver disease, autoimmune disease, a systemic inflammatory condition, immunosuppression, cancer, pericarditis, or endocarditis were excluded.


RESULTS
Multiple regression analysis demonstrated an association between Chagas disease developmental stage and the serum IL-6 level. The serum CRP level increased during only the most advanced phase of the disease. In addition, a high left ventricular mass index was associated with a high IL-6 level and male sex.


CONCLUSIONS
IL-6 and CRP serum levels could be of prognostic value in assessing Chagas disease progression because there are significant correlations between elevated levels and the deterioration of cardiac function.
López
Lyankis
L
Asociación Cardiovascular Centro-Occidental (ASCARDIO), Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado, Barquisimeto, Lara, Venezuela.
Arai
Kaduo
K
Giménez
Esther
E
Jiménez
Mariela
M
Pascuzo
Carmine
C
Rodríguez-Bonfante
Claudina
C
Bonfante-Cabarcas
Rafael
R
D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein