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European Journal of Heart Failure 2004 6(6):731-734; doi:10.1016/j.ejheart.2003.11.006
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© 2004 European Society of Cardiology

C-reactive protein predicts response to pentoxifylline in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Karen Sliwaa,*, Angela Woodiwissb, Elena Libhabera, Fitzgerald Zhanjea, Carlos Libhabera, Riaz Motaraa and Rafique Essopa

a Department of Cardiology, Chris-Hani Baragwanath Hospital, University of the Witwatersrand P.O. Bertsham, 2013, Johannesburg, South Africa
b School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, South Africa

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +27-11-933-8197; fax: +27-11-938-8945. E-mail address: hahnle@netactive.co.za

Received June 12, 2003; Revised September 30, 2003; Accepted November 19, 2003

The first 10% of the full text of this article appears below.


   1. Background
 
We have previously reported that the addition of pentoxifylline to standard heart failure therapy results in improvements in systolic function in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) [1–3]. However, these improvements, which are associated with a reduction in inflammatory cytokines [4–7] and Fas/Apo-1 [8] only occur in some patients.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory marker which is associated with adverse prognosis in patients with IDC [9,10]. It is therefore possible that elevations of CRP at baseline may predict the response of patients with IDC to the immuno-modulating agent pentoxifylline.


   2. Aims
 
Our primary objective was to evaluate whether the degree of elevation of CRP at baseline predicts left ventricular systolic function in patients with IDC treated with pentoxifylline. A secondary objective was to determine whether elevations of CRP are associated with changes in TNF-alpha . . . [Full Text of this Article]


   3. Methods
 
3.1. Pooled analysis of two studies
3.2. Hemodynamic assessments
3.3. CRP measurements
3.4. TNF-alpha and Fas/Apo-1 measurements
3.5. Analysis

   4. Results
 
4.1. Characteristics of groups at randomization
4.2. Association of CRP with changes in systolic function, Fas/Apo-1 and TNF-{alpha}

   5. Conclusion
 

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[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]