title: Immunosenescence in patients with chronic systolic heart failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic heart failure (CHF) is characterized by hemodynamic compromise, neurohormonal and immune activation. We sought to examine the presence and severity of immunosenescence and its relation with the stages of CHF.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 86 consecutive stable systolic CHF patients and examined the relationship of leukocyte and lymphocyte subpopulation counts by flow cytometry with their functional status according to New York Heart Association (NYHA) class.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with advanced heart failure were characterized by significantly increased neutrophil and reduced lymphocyte counts. T-helper cells were increased, whereas B-cells and T cytotoxic cells were decreased. T-helper cells exhibited significant differentiation and aging across the NYHA classes; naïve T-cells, CD4 + CD45RA +, were significantly reduced in NYHA Class IV and memory T-cells, CD4 + CD45RO +, were significantly increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with CHF develop intense T-cell differentiation and aging. The presence of significant immunosenescence in advanced CHF may indicate a population at increased risk for adverse events.
authors.affiliation: aSecond Department of Cardiology bDepartment of Immunology-Histocompatibility, Evaggelismos General Hospital cHeart Failure Unit, Department of Cardiology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon General Hospital, Athens University dMicrobiology Department, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xydonas
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parissis
authors.forename: Louiza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lioni
authors.forename: Violetta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kapsimali
authors.forename: Ekaterini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Psarra
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Farmakis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kremastinos
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lekakis
authors.forename: Antonios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sideris
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsirogianni
authors.forename: Gerasimos
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Filippatos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D054143:Heart Failure, Systolic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D000068884:Immunosenescence; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left