[Prognostic value of plasma levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and proinflammatory cytokines in patients with heart failure of ischemic etiology].

We included 63 patients with chronic heart failure of ischemic origin (32 with left ventricular ejection fraction less than 40%) into prospective study with average duration of follow-up 27+/-10 months. Relative risk of lethal outcome was significantly increased in patients with initial endsystolic left ventricular dimension >6.0 m, enddiastolic left ventricular dimension >7.0 m, left atrial dimension >5.0 cm, left ventricular ejection fraction 1000 mol/ml and interleukin-6 >20 g/ml. Relative risk of combined endpoint significantly increased at same values of echocardiographical parameters, plasma levels of NT-proBNP >500 mol/ml and interleukin-6 >10 g/ml.