title: Effects of thalidomide treatment in heart failure patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have reported a direct association between elevated plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines and worse functional class (New York Heart Association [NYHA]) and cardiac function, measured as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Thalidomide has recently shown to improve LVEF in chronic heart failure patients, accompanied by a marked decrease in plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized prospective open label study of men and women with heart failure (HF) due to ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy who had systolic dysfunction (LVEF <40%) and NHYA classification, functional classes II and III were assigned to control (without thalidomide, 60 patients) or thalidomide group (20 patients). The initial dose of thalidomide was 100 mg once a day, and it was increased to 100 mg twice a day after a period of 10 days, if the prior dosage was well-tolerated. Demographic characteristics, etiology of HF, prior myocardial infarction, co-morbidities associated were registered and laboratory routine test, TNF-alpha serum levels, and echocardiogram were obtained at the beginning and after 6 months of follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical status (NYHA) at the end of the follow-up period, improved moderately in both groups. TNF-alpha levels were initially of 5.88 +/- 0.9 and 6.49 +/- 1.82 vs. 6.32 +/- 1.6 and 7.94 +/- 3.8 pg/ml during follow-up, for thalidomide and control groups, respectively. There were non-significant differences in echocardiography variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, although there is a large amount of information supporting a direct relationship between TNF-alpha and worsening of symptoms and prognosis in patients with HF and recently, the beneficial effect on thalidomide treatment has been suggested, these preliminary observations should be confirmed in a larger prospective study, specially trying to clarify the action mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Heart Failure Clinic, México City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orea-Tejeda
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Arrieta-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Lilia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Castillo-Martínez
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Reyna
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Asensio-Lafuente
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Granados-Arriola
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dorantes-García
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013792:Thalidomide