Circulating levees of proinflammatory cytokines, nitric oxide, soluble FAS and angiotensin converting enzyme in patients with congestive heart failure

ABSTRACT

Objective: [1] to determine serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor [sIL-2R], tumor necrosis factor- alpha [TNF-alpha], nitric oxide [NO], soluble Fas [sFas], and angiotensin converting enzyme [ACE] activity in patients with congestive heart failure [CHF] of different etiologies. [2] to investigate the correlations between these bioindices with the severity of heart failure and with echocardiographic assessment of cardiac geometry and function