Effects of atorvastatin on cardiac function and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 in patients with congestive heart failure

Objective:To investigate the effects of atorvastatin on cardiac function and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-6(IL-6) in patients with congestive heart failure(CHF).Methods: The levels of serum TNF-αand IL-6 were determined by radioimmunoassay in 84 CHF cases [42 of whom were treated by atorvastatin(atorvastatin group)and other 42 were treated by routine treatment(routine therapy group)].The 30 health cases were regard as normal control group.Before and after treatment,the heart function was evaluated by echocardiogram.Results:(1)The levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in all 84 CHF cases were much higher than those of normal control group(P0.01);and follow with the cardiac function decreased(NYHA I ～IV class)serum TNF-α level [(0.52±0.16) μg/L vs.(0.64±0.17) μg/L vs.(0.79±0.17) μg/L vs.(0.88±0.18) μg/L],IL-6 level[(96.67±17.79) μg/L vs.(119.19±25.48) μg/L vs.(143.51±26.63) μg/L vs.(154.21±23.39) μg/L] significantly increased(P0.05);(2)The levels of TNF-α and IL-6 after treatment in both atorvastatin group and routine therapy group significantly decreased(P0.05),but compared with routine therapy group,the TNF-α levels [(0.74±0.19) μg/L vs.(0.63±0.21) μg/L],IL-6 level[(113.92±15.37) μg/L vs.108.87±20.86) μg/L] in atorvastatin group decrease more significant(P0.05);(3)The heart function index:LVEF[(40±6)% vs.(36±5)%]、LVESVI[(31±6) ml/m2 vs.(34±5) ml/m2]、LVEDV[(47±12) ml/m2 vs.(51±11) ml/m2] in therapy group significantly improved compared with routine therapy group(P0.05);(4)A significantly correlation positive was found among the serum TNF-α and IL-6.Conclusion:(1)Contents of TNF-α、IL-6 have close relationship with the heart function of CHF;(2) Short-term atorvastatin improves cardiac function,reduces levels of serum cyto-kines associated with chronic heart failure.