title: Plasma level of cardiotrophin-1 as a prognostic predictor in patients with chronic heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) is a member of the interleukin (IL-6) family of cytokines and is increased in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prognostic role of CT-1 in patients with CHF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We measured the plasma levels of CT-1, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and IL-6 in 125 patients with CHF. Patients were monitored for a mean follow-up period of 2.9 years. Plasma levels of CT-1 increased with severity of CHF. There was a significant negative correlation between plasma CT-1 and left ventricular ejection fraction. There was a significant correlation between plasma CT-1 and log IL-6. During the follow-up period, 37 patients died. High plasma levels of CT-1, BNP, and IL-6 were independent predictors of mortality on stepwise multivariate analysis. The hazard ratio for mortality in patients with plasma BNP>170 pg/mL and CT-1>658 fmol/mL was 2.48 (95% confidence interval, 1.217-5.060) compared to those with plasma BNP>170 pg/mL and CT-1<658 fmol/mL (p=0.0124).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that plasma CT-1 measurement provides additional prognostic information and that combined levels of CT-1 and BNP are more accurate at predicting mortality in patients with CHF than either marker alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta-Tsukinowa, Otsu, 520-2192, Japan. tutamoto@belle.shiga-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsutamoto
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asai
authors.forename: Toshinari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Keizo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishiyama
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohnishi
authors.forename: Atsuyuki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013318:Stroke Volume
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; C092073:cardiotrophin 1