Document Detail


A controlled study of the effects of carvedilol on clinical events, left ventricular function and proinflammatory cytokines levels in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  15838561     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Carvedilol is known to decrease the severity of ventricular dysfunction, to increase the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and, consequently, to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. There is accumulating evidence that inflammatory cytokines have an important role in the pathogenesis of heart failure. OBJECTIVE: To establish whether the addition of carvedilol has an additive beneficial effect on cytokines in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy who are already receiving treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, digoxin and diuretics. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this single-centre, prospective, randomized study, 60 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy with an LVEF less than 40% and already receiving digoxin, ACE inhibitors and diuretics for six months as the standard therapy were randomly assigned to receive either carvedilol (n=30) or placebo (n=30). Patients received an initial dosage of 3.125 mg carvedilol or placebo twice daily for two weeks, which was then increased at two-week intervals (if tolerated), first to 6.25 mg, then to 12.5 mg, and, finally, to a target dosage of 25 mg twice daily. Clinical examinations, radionuclide studies, and determinations of plasma levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-6 were performed at baseline and repeated four months after random assignment. Primary end points were New York Heart Association functional class, LV function and plasma cytokines levels. Eight patients died (seven in the placebo group, P=0.05). Patients treated with carvedilol had a significant improvement in functional class compared with the baseline values (P=0.001), with a decrease in the levels of cytokines (IL-6 [P=0.001] and TNF-a [P=0.001]). LVEF increased from 22.14+/-7.85% to 27.85+/-11.80% (P=0.002), but diastolic function did not change in the carvedilol group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, the addition of carvedilol to treatment with digoxin, ACE inhibitors and diuretics is associated with a significant improvement in symptoms and in LV function, and suppression of inflammatory cytokines.
Authors:
Ersan Tatli; Turhan Kurum
Publication Detail:
Type:  Clinical Trial; Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Canadian journal of cardiology     Volume:  21     ISSN:  0828-282X     ISO Abbreviation:  Can J Cardiol     Publication Date:  2005 Mar 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2005-04-19     Completed Date:  2005-05-12     Revised Date:  2008-04-09    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8510280     Medline TA:  Can J Cardiol     Country:  Canada    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  344-8     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Trakya University, Gullapoglu Yerleskesi, Edirne, Turkey.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / therapeutic use*
Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / therapeutic use*
Carbazoles / therapeutic use*
Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / blood,  drug therapy*,  physiopathology
Drug Therapy, Combination
Female
Gated Blood-Pool Imaging
Humans
Inflammation Mediators / blood*
Interleukin-2 / blood
Interleukin-6 / blood
Male
Middle Aged
Propanolamines / therapeutic use*
Stroke Volume / drug effects
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / analysis
Vasodilator Agents / therapeutic use*
Ventricular Function, Left / drug effects*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; 0/Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; 0/Carbazoles; 0/Inflammation Mediators; 0/Interleukin-2; 0/Interleukin-6; 0/Propanolamines; 0/Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; 0/Vasodilator Agents; 72956-09-3/carvedilol

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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