Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0018801 (heart failure)
 72,216 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Peripartum cardiomyopathy creates complications for 1 in 3000 to 4000 pregnant women in the US. As this rare condition is associated with a high mortality rate (50% to 85%), it has been investigated to define the possible associated causes. Several factors including hypertension, nutritional and dietary discrepancies, and, recently, myocarditis are being implicated, but the mechanism of cardiac injury is yet to be discovered. Here we present an interesting case of possible interferon-induced reversible peripartum cardiomyopathy. The patient, with a diagnosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia, had been given interferon for 6 years. The therapy was discontinued when she became pregnant, and later she presented with symptoms of heart failure 6 weeks after her c-section. Interferon is an immunomodulating agent and used as an antiviral and an anticancer agent. Interferon-related dilated cardiomyopathy has been described as a rare side effect of the drug, the mechanism of which is unknown. There is compelling data supporting the fact that both peripartum cardiomyopathy and interferon-related cardiomyopathy are autoimmune disorders; so it is suggested that interferon therapy given in the past can have an additive effect in causing dilated cardiomyopathy. It is therefore advisable to follow closely those pregnant patients; who received interferon therapy in the past, for symptoms of cardiac failure, as there can be synergistic action between interferon and pregnancy causing dilated cardiomyopathy.
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PMID:Reversible peripartum cardiomyopathy in a patient with prior exposure to interferon. 1685 74

Conventional systemic treatments for patients with psoriasis are associated with multiple adverse effects that require continuous monitoring. The introduction of new biological agents such as etanercept, a fully human fusion protein, has permitted individualisation of patients' treatment according to disease stage. The drug is a competitive inhibitor of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) that prevents interaction between this cytokine and its cell surface receptors. Etanercept also modulates the activity of other inflammatory cytokines and does not induce complement-mediated cell lysis in vitro. The main source of information regarding etanercept safety comes from studies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The most common adverse effect during drug administration is mild injection site reactions. There is no increase in the overall incidence of infections compared with placebo, although there have been several reports of infections caused by intracellular organisms (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Listeria monocytogenes, and Mycobacterium avium intracellulare). Therefore, combination of this drug with corticosteroids must be carefully monitored and should be avoided in patients with established sepsis. There are no data showing that treatment with etanercept results in an increase in the occurrence of malignant neoplasms. However, caution is recommended in use of etanercept in patients with a current or past history of demyelinating disease. Etanercept must be used with extreme caution in patients with heart failure because of several reports indicating a worsening or de novo occurrence of congestive heart failure while receiving the drug. Monitoring of autoantibodies is not currently considered necessary as they do not predict response, toxicity or autoimmune events. The presence of non-neutralising antibodies to the TNF receptor fragment or other protein components of etanercept has not been related to a decrease in drug response or adverse reactions. Etanercept does not generally modify the course of inflammatory bowel disease. When combined with other systemic therapies for psoriasis, current data do not show an increase in adverse events. In patients with hepatitis C viral infection, etanercept does not increase transaminase levels or viral load and in some instances has allowed the concomitant use of interferon which had previously been discontinued because of a worsening of psoriasis. Etanercept is rated as a US FDA category B drug in pregnancy. However, its use is not recommended in pregnant women unless the benefit-risk ratio greatly favours its use. Etanercept is not recommended for use in lactating women. Etanercept represents a relevant treatment for psoriasis, efficacious over many weeks and safe but special care should be taken to avoid the potential risks.
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PMID:Safety of etanercept in psoriasis: a critical review. 1687 41

Hepatic hemangioendothelioma (HHE) is a rare vascular tumor in neonates and may cause high-output cardiac failure and coagulopathy, and rarely has been associated with hypothyroidism. Hepatic hemangioendothelioma treatment options consist of corticosteroids, alpha-interferon, surgical resection, and liver transplantation. Herein, we report the case of a 6-week-old female neonate that presented with an HHE that involved all segments of the liver, resulting in respiratory failure and severe hypothyroidism that was recalcitrant to exogenous L-thyroxine therapy. After failure of medical and supportive therapy for the HHE, the patient underwent a cadaveric orthotopic liver transplantation that resulted in successful treatment of the severe hypothyroidism, respiratory failure, and cardiac symptoms. The patient is currently 1-year posttransplantation and disease free with normal thyroid function.
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PMID:Resolution of medically resistant hypothyroidism after liver transplantation for hepatic hemangioendothelioma. 1701 Dec 91

Cardiac transplantation is the most effective treatment for advanced heart failure. Despite improvements in immunosuppression therapy that prevent acute rejection, cardiac allografts fail at rates of 3% to 5% per posttransplant year. The hallmark morphological lesion of chronically failing cardiac allografts, also seen in chronic renal and liver graft failure, is luminal stenosis of blood vessels, especially of conduit arteries. Late graft failure results from widespread secondary ischemic injury to the graft parenchyma rather than direct immune-mediated damage. Although this process affects the entire graft vasculature, graft arteriosclerosis is a suitable term to describe the problem because it applies to different types of failing organs and because it emphasizes the central feature, namely an accelerated form of arterial injury and remodeling. The precise pathogenesis of graft arteriosclerosis is unknown. In this review, we make the case that the signature T-helper type 1 cytokine, interferon (IFN)-gamma, is a key effector in graft arteriosclerosis, which, together with the IFN-gamma-inducing cytokine interleukin-12 and IFN-gamma-inducible chemokines such as CXCR3 ligands, constitute a positive feedback loop for T-cell activation, differentiation, and recruitment that we refer to as the IFN-gamma axis. We evaluate the evidence to support this hypothesis in clinical observational and experimental animal studies. Additionally, we examine the regulation of IFN-gamma production within the artery wall, the effects of IFN-gamma on vessel wall cells, and the outcome of therapeutic agents on IFN-gamma production and signaling. These observations lead us to suggest that new therapies for graft arteriosclerosis should be optimized which focus on reducing IFN-gamma synthesis or actions.
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PMID:Interferon-gamma axis in graft arteriosclerosis. 1736 8

Cardiac-specific expression of the N1325S mutation of SCN5A in transgenic mouse hearts (TG-NS) resulted in long QT syndrome (LQTS), ventricular arrhythmias (VT), and heart failure. In this study we carried out oligonucleotide mircoarray analysis to identify genes that are differentially expressed in the TG-NS mouse hearts. We identified 33 genes in five different functional groups that showed differential expression. None of the 33 genes are ion channel genes. STAT1, which encodes a transcription factor involved in apoptosis and interferon response, showed the most significant difference of expression between TG-NS and control mice (a nearly 10-fold increase in expression, P=4x10(-6)). The results were further confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analyses. Accordingly, many interferon response genes also showed differential expression in TG-NS hearts. This study represents the first microarray analysis for LQTS and implicates STAT1 in the pathogenesis and progression of LQTS and heart failure.
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PMID:Induction of high STAT1 expression in transgenic mice with LQTS and heart failure. 1749 Jun 20

Chronic heart failure is associated with an activation of the immune system characterized among other factors by the cardiac synthesis and serum expression of proinflammatory cytokines. There is unequivocal clinical and experimental evidence that the cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha is involved in the development of chronic heart failure, but a putative cardiotoxic potential of the proinflammatory cytokine interferon (IFN)-gamma remains primarily unknown. To investigate this issue we analyzed the cardiac phenotype of SAP-IFN-gamma transgenic mice, which constitutively express IFN-gamma in their livers and hence exhibit high circulating serum levels of this cytokine. SAP-IFN-gamma mice spontaneously developed chronic active myocarditis, characterized by the infiltration of not only CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells but also Mac2(+) (galectin 3(+)) macrophages and CD11c(+) dendritic cells, eventually culminating in cardiomyopathy. Echocardiographic analyses exhibited a left ventricular dilation and impaired systolic function induced by IFN-gamma overexpression. IFN-gamma-mediated cardiotoxicity was associated with high-level cardiac transcription of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-12 and the macrophage-attracting chemokines MCP1 and MIP1-alpha. Myotoxic IFN-gamma effects could not be detected in smooth or striated muscle tissue, suggesting cardiomyocellular specificity of the toxic IFN-gamma effect. The precise mechanism of IFN-gamma cardiotoxicity remains to be elucidated.
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PMID:Interferon-gamma induces chronic active myocarditis and cardiomyopathy in transgenic mice. 1755 94

The authors reviewed cardiac adverse events during interferon therapy. The significance of preexisting cardiac disease (coronary artery disease, heart failure or cardiac arrhythmias) should be considered in patient selection for this treatment. A case of a 55-year old woman with chronic hepatitis C, qualified to peginterferon therapy in our hospital, is presented. No cardiac diseases were diagnosed in this patient previously. Atrio-ventricular (AV) conduction disturbances in the form of second-degree AV block were diagnosed during peginterferon therapy. The intensity of these disturbances diminished when treatment was interrupted. A pacemaker had to be implanted to enable the patient continuation of treatment without these side effects.
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PMID:[Cardiotoxic properties of interferon: aggravation of atrio-ventricular block during treatment of chronic hepatitis C with peginterferon--a case report]. 1764 7

(1) Sunitinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is marketed for the treatment of advanced-stage and metastatic renal carcinoma, and for second-line treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumours. Sorafenib arrived on the market almost simultaneously for second-line treatment of kidney cancer. (2) In second-line treatment of kidney cancer, two non comparative trials showed an unusually high rate of at least partial tumour regression with sunitinib (25%, compared to only 2% with sorafenib). Head-to-head trials of the two drugs are lacking. Although indirect comparisons are notoriously unreliable, sunitinib appears to provide longer progression-free survival than sorafenib (about 9 months versus 5.5 months), although overall survival times are similar. (3) Preliminary results of a trial comparing sunitinib with interferon alfa as first-line treatments in 750 patients with kidney cancer show a 6-month event-free survival advantage in the sunitinib arm. The precise overall survival time has not yet been calculated. (4) In 312 patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumours in whom imatinib has failed, a double-blind placebo-controlled trial showed that sunitinib prolonged overall survival time, but potential biases undermine these results. (5) The adverse effect profile of sunitinib appears to be similar to those of imatinib and sorafenib, apart from more thyroid disorders. The principal adverse effects are cutaneous, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and haematological disorders. Arterial hypertension, sometimes severe, occurred in 16% of patients treated with sunitinib. Other serious adverse events included tumour haemorrhage and pulmonary embolism. A risk of cardiac toxicity leading to heart failure cannot currently be ruled out. (6) Sunitinib is metabolised by cytochrome P450 isoenzyme CYP 3A4, increasing the likelihood of drug interactions. (7) These results support the use of sunitinib as second-line therapy for patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumours. Additional clinical evaluation is needed, however. In first-line treatment of kidney cancer, it is preferable to wait for detailed results of the ongoing trial, especially effects on survival time, before judging the possible advantages and disadvantages of sunitinib compared to interferon alfa. In second-line treatment, sorafenib is better-assessed than sunitinib and should therefore be preferred, pending a direct comparison of the two drugs.
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PMID:Sunitinib: new drug. For some gastrointestinal stromal tumours. 1772 33

In order to assess the relationships among mood, peripheral autonomic output and circulating immunoinflammatory mediators in older individuals with decompensated heart failure (CHF), 20 consecutive patients (78+/-7 years, 35% women) admitted to the coronary care unit with a clinical diagnosis of acute/decompensated CHF of coronary origin were examined. Mood was evaluated by the 21-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D). Four patients met the criteria for major depression. Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis and the levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 were measured within 24-72 h of admission. A significant positive relationship between score in HAM-D and serum IL-6 levels was detected with a similar trend as far as IL-2 levels. Circulating IL-2 levels were strongly associated with the HRV L/H quotient, an index of increased sympathetic and/or decreased parasympathetic thoracic activity. A negative correlation between vagal activity (as assessed by HRV) and IL-4 occurred. Neither TNF-alpha nor IL-10 were detectable in this group of elderly patients. The results add to the concept that mood and autonomic unbalance are associated with increased systemic inflammation in old patients with decompensated CHF, a potential mechanism for mood-related worsened prognosis of heart failure at an advanced age.
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PMID:Mood, Th-1/Th-2 cytokine profile, and autonomic activity in older adults with acute/decompensated heart failure: preliminary observations. 1893 52

This article provides information and a commentary on trials relevant to the pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment of heart failure presented at the Heart Failure Society of America and the American Heart Association meetings in 2008. Unpublished reports should be considered as preliminary, as analyses may change in the final publication. (i) SADHART-CHF showed no difference in outcome for heart failure patients with depression treated with sertraline compared with placebo. (ii) A controlled release carvedilol formulation showed similar LV haemodynamic effects to the standard carvedilol formulation in the COMPARE study. (iii) A post hoc analysis of the MOMENTUM study suggested that patients with less severe heart failure may be more likely to benefit from a continuous aortic flow augmentation device. (iv) A thyroid hormone analogue was poorly tolerated in patients with heart failure. (v) HF-ACTION showed that exercise training is safe and offers modest clinical benefits in patients with heart failure. (vi) Irbesartan failed to improve outcomes in patients with preserved ejection fraction in the I-PRESERVE study. (vii) A phase II study of beta-interferon administration in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy showed encouraging results. (viii) The BACH study showed that mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin was more accurate than BNP or NT-proBNP at predicting outcome at 90 days in patients with acute heart failure. (ix) A secondary analysis from ATHENA showed a reduction in cardiovascular hospitalizations and strokes for patients with atrial fibrillation receiving dronedarone compared with placebo.
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PMID:Clinical trials update from the Heart Failure Society of America and the American Heart Association meetings in 2008: SADHART-CHF, COMPARE, MOMENTUM, thyroid hormone analogue study, HF-ACTION, I-PRESERVE, beta-interferon study, BACH, and ATHENA. 1916 21


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