ABSTRACT
Thirty seven patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) were divided into cilazapril group (n=19) and general treatment group (n=18). Serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) ,interleukin-8 (IL-8) , interleukin-10(IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) , left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ,left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), cardiac output (CO) and fractional shortening (FS) were measured before and after treatment. Serum levels of cytokines were also measured in 40 healthy individuals (control group). Results: The serum levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-α in CHF patients were significantly higher than those in the control group ( all P<0.01 ) ; After treatment, the serum IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were significantly decreased (P<0.01 ,P<0.05 ) in the cilazapril group. The LVEF, FS, CO were significantly increased in the Cilazapril group ( P<0.01 ) ; And the serum levels of IL-6 were significantly decreased in the cilazapril group as compared with the general treatment group ( P<0.05 ), however, after treatment, the EF, LVEF, FS and CO had no statistical differences in the cilazapril group as compared with the general treatment group. In the control group only LVEF and FS improved(P<0.01) ; Cytokine levels showed no changes. It suggests that cilazapril can reduce the serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, increased the serum levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine, protect and improved cardiac function in the patients with congestive heart failure.