Inflammatory mediators in Chinese patients with congestive heart failure.

In this study, circulating levels of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators are studied in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) in China. Sixty-five patients with CHF and 32 control subjects are studied. The proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in plasma are determined by immunoradiometric assay kits. Catecholamine (CA) in plasma is evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography. Plasma levels of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, ANP, BNP, and CA in CHF patients are significantly higher than those in control subjects. Patients in a higher New York Heart Association (NYHA) class show higher concentrations of inflammatory mediators than those in a lower NYHA class, although the ratio of plasma IL-10 to TNF-alpha in patients with CHF is significantly lower than in the control group. It is concluded that proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels are increased and IL-10/TNF-alpha is decreased in Chinese patients with CHF.