Use of Inflammatory Biomarkers and Real-Time Cardiac Catheterisation to Evaluate the Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Patients With Diastolic Heart Failure

BACKGROUND: Interleukin (IL)-17 and its related cytokines have been shown to be involved in myocardial fibrosis and irreversible ventricular remodelling, which have predictive values in the development of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD). This study aimed to assess the correlation between IL-17 and LVDD, and investigate the prognostic value of IL-17 among patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). METHODS: A total of 120 patients with normal LVEF underwent left ventricular (LV) catheterisation for LV end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) measurement and routine echocardiography. The follow-up period was 30 (18, 35) months. RESULTS: The levels of IL-17 and IL-6 from the systemic blood were significantly increased in non-heart failure (HF) patients with LVDD (p<0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) revealed that the combination of IL-17 and IL-6 showed the highest diagnostic accuracy in predicting LVDD (AUC, 0.890; 95% CI, 0.835-0.945; p<0.001), and the cut-off value was 41.5 pg/mL. On logistic regression analysis, the increment of the combination of IL-17 and IL-6 was an independent predictor for the prognosis of LVDD (odds ratio, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.01-1.12; p<0.05). According to the cut-off value of the combination of IL-17 and IL-6, the patients with lower levels of IL-17 and IL-6 (<41.5 pg/mL group) had a better prognosis. The increased levels of IL17 and IL-6 were significantly correlated with the levels of fibrotic parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of LVDD by measuring the combination of IL-17 and IL-6 might provide valuable prognostic significance for non-HF patients with LVDD.