Does elevated interleukin-6 predict all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and subsequent heart failure hospitalization in patients recently hospitalized for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction?
Elevated IL-6 is an independent predictor of mortality and heart failure hospitalization in patients recently hospitalized with HFpEF, highlighting inflammation as a potential therapeutic target.
Background: Inflammation may play a role in the pathophysiology of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. We examined whether circulating levels of interleukin-6 identify patients at greater risk of adverse outcomes following hospitalization with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Methods: We assessed relationships between interleukin-6 (IL-6) tertiles (T1-3) and all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and subsequent heart failure hospitalization (sHFH) in 286 patients recently hospitalized with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Associations between IL (interleukin)-6 and outcomes were examined in a Cox-regression model adjusted for risk factors including BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide). Biomarkers including hsCRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) were assessed. Results: The range of IL-6 (pg/mL) in each tertile was T1 (0.71–4.16), T2 (4.20–7.84), and T3 (7.9–236.32). Compared with T1, patients in the highest IL-6 tertile were more commonly male (56% versus 35%) and had higher creatinine (117±45 versus 101±36 μmol/L), hsCRP (11.6 4.9–26.6mg/L versus 2.31.1–4.2 mg/L). In univariable analysis, rates of all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and sHFH were higher in T3 versus T1. All-cause and cardiovascular death rates remained higher in T3 versus T1 after adjustment ( P <0.001). One log unit increase in IL-6 was associated with higher risk of all-cause death (hazard ratio, 1.46 1.17–1.81), cardiovascular death (hazard ratio, 1.40 1.10–1.77), and sHFH (hazard ratio, 1.24 1.01–1.51) after adjustment. One log unit increase in hsCRP was associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular death and all-cause death before and after adjustment for other factors but was not associated with risk of sHFH before or after adjustment. Conclusions: In patients recently hospitalized with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, IL-6 is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular death, and sHFH after adjustment for risk factors including BNP. These findings are of particular relevance in the context of current anti–IL-6 drug development.
Mooney et al. (Fri,) studied this question.