Plasma Cytokine Parameters and Mortality in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

TLDR

Inflammatory immune activation is a key feature of chronic heart failure, yet the prognostic significance of cytokines such as TNF‑α, its soluble receptors, IL‑6, and sCD14 remains poorly understood. The authors prospectively measured plasma concentrations of TNF‑α, sTNF‑R1/2, IL‑6, and sCD14 in 152 CHF patients (mean age 61, NYHA 2.6, peak VO₂ 17.3 mL kg⁻¹ min⁻¹). Over a mean 34‑month follow‑up, 41 % of patients died, and multivariate analysis identified sTNF‑R1 as the strongest independent predictor of mortality, outperforming other cytokines and remaining significant regardless of NYHA class, peak VO₂, or other clinical parameters.

Abstract

Background —Inflammatory immune activation is an important feature in chronic heart failure (CHF). Little is known about the prognostic importance of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), soluble TNF-receptor 1 and 2 (sTNF-R1/sTNF-R2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and soluble CD14 receptors (sCD14) in CHF patients. Methods and Results —In 152 CHF patients (age 61±1 years, New York Heart Association [NYHA] class 2.6±0.1, peak V̇ o 2 17.3±0.6 mL · kg −1 · min −1 , mean±SEM) plasma concentrations of immune variables were prospectively assessed. During a mean follow-up of 34 months (>12 months in all patients), 62 patients (41%) died. Cumulative mortality was 28% at 24 months. In univariate analyses, increased total and trimeric TNF-α, sTNF-R1, and sTNF-R2 (all P ≤0.0001), sCD14 ( P =0.0007), and IL-6 ( P =0.005) predicted 24-month mortality. With multivariate analysis and receiver operating characteristics, sTNF-R1 emerged among all cytokine parameters as the strongest and most accurate prognosticator in this CHF population, regardless of follow-up duration and independently of NYHA class, peak V̇ o 2 , V̇ e /V̇ co 2 slope, left ventricular ejection fraction, and wasting ( P <0.001). The receiver operating characteristic area under the curve for sTNF-R1 was greater than for sTNF-R2 at 6, 12, and 18 months (all P <0.05). Conclusions —sTNF-R1 was the strongest and most accurate prognosticator, independent of established markers of CHF severity. Assessment of sTNF-R1 may be useful in identifying patients who are at high risk of death and in monitoring patients undergoing anti–TNF-α treatment.