title: Inflammation as a therapeutic target in heart failure? A scientific statement from the Translational Research Committee of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology.
abstract: The increasing prevalence of heart failure poses enormous challenges for health care systems worldwide. Despite effective medical interventions that target neurohumoral activation, mortality and morbidity remain substantial. Evidence for inflammatory activation as an important pathway in disease progression in chronic heart failure has emerged in the last two decades. However, clinical trials of 'anti-inflammatory' therapies (such as anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha approaches) have to date failed to show benefit in heart failure patients. The Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology recently organized an expert workshop to address the issue of inflammation in heart failure from a basic science, translational and clinical perspective, and to assess whether specific inflammatory pathways may yet serve as novel therapeutic targets for this condition. This consensus document represents the outcome of the workshop and defines key research questions that still need to be addressed as well as considering the requirements for future clinical trials in this area.
authors.affiliation: Experimental & Molecular Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands. s.heymans@cardio.unimaas.nl
authors.forename: Stephane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heymans
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: Stefan D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Anker
authors.forename: Pal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aukrust
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Balligand
authors.forename: Jan W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Cohen-Tervaert
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Drexler
authors.forename: Gerasimos
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Filippatos
authors.forename: Stephan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gullestad
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hilfiker-Kleiner
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Latini
authors.forename: Gitte
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Neubauer
authors.forename: Walter J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Paulus
authors.forename: Burkert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pieske
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ponikowski
authors.forename: Blanche
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schroen
authors.forename: Heinz-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Schultheiss
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tschöpe
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Bilsen
authors.forename: Faiez
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zannad
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McMurray
authors.forename: Ajay M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007249:Inflammation; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin / Q000378:metabolism; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000099153:Pentraxins
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component; D000099153:Pentraxins