Elevated circulating levels of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha in patients with hemodynamically significant pressure and volume overload

Samir R. Kapadia, Khalid Yakoob, Simone Nader, James D. Thomas, Douglas L. Mann, Brian P. Griffin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

97 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objectives. We sought to determine whether serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels are elevated in patients with hemodynamically significant pressure and volume overload. Background. It has been previously shown that TNF-alpha messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein are rapidly expressed in the hearts of animal models subjected to abrupt hemodynamic overloading. The clinical significance of these experimental findings has not been tested in pathophysiologically relevant clinical models in human subjects. Methods. We prospectively measured serum TNF-alpha levels and serum TNF receptor 1 and 2 levels in 21 patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS), in 26 patients with 3+ to 4+ mitral regurgitation (MR) and in normal age- and gender-matched control subjects. Patients with AS and MR were either in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class I or II and had no significant coronary disease. We compared the cytokine levels among the groups using analysis of variance. We related cytokine levels to the severity of AS using simple regression analysis. Results. Serum TNF-alpha levels in patients with AS (2.1 ± 1.6 pg/ml, n = 21) and MR (1.3 ± 0.7 pg/ml, n = 26) were significantly higher than those in the control subjects (0.7 ± 0.2 pg/ml, n = 28). Serum TNF receptor 1 and 2 levels were also higher in patients with AS and MR than in control subjects. Cytokine levels were higher in patients in NYHA class II than in those in class I. In patients with a normal ejection fraction (>50%, n = 16), there was a mild positive correlation (r = 0.56, p = 0.025) between serum TNF-alpha levels and the mean gradient across the aortic valve. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that serum TNF-alpha is elevated in patients with chronic hemodynamic overloading and early cardiac decompensation. Furthermore, these findings suggest not only that peripheral TNF-alpha levels correlate with the severity of the hemodynamic pressure overload, but also that peripheral TNF-alpha and TNF receptor levels increase in direct relation to deteriorating NYHA functional class. (C) 2000 by the American College of Cardiology.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)208-212
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology
Volume36
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2000

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Elevated circulating levels of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha in patients with hemodynamically significant pressure and volume overload'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this