History

Background: Systemic inflammatory response has been documented as a common physiopathologic feature of heart failure (HF). Plentiful studies have shown that patients with HF have increased expression and release of inflammatory cytokines. IL-6 is associated with LVEF in people, independent of probable confounders. The objective of this work was to pinpoint and describe the association between IL-6 and heart failure. Material and methods: The study was a case-control, including 160 participants, comprising 80 patients with HF and a random group of 80 healthy control subjects. A left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 50% was used to identify HF with diminished ejection fraction. All participants were subjected to a hematological assessment of IL-6, and the results were matched with the control group. Results: Significantly higher IL-6 serum levels among the patients compared with the control and also among NYHA classes of HF. A non-significant difference in heart failure patients between the non-anemic and anemic patients regarding IL-6 levels. A highly significant negative correlation between IL-6 and LVEF% among patients with HF was also found. Conclusion: The results of the present study point to a strong relationship between IL-6 and HF and provide preliminary support for further research into any potential therapeutic uses of IL-6 in the prevention of HF. In general pubulation, interleukin-6 may be a promising biomarker for the emergence of HF.