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Antiviral interferon-β treatment in patients with chronic viral cardiomyopathy

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Inflammatory Cardiomyopathy (DCMi)

Part of the book series: Progress in Inflammation Research ((PIR))

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Abstract

The etiology of “idiopathic” dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is due to persistence of viruses in ca. 60% of the patients presenting with DCM. This can be concluded from the high rate of detectable viral genomes in endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) samples in such patients. The pivotal role of interferons (IFN) as a natural defense system against viruses is well documented by experimental data. In an open-label pilot trial, 22 patients with EMB-proven persistence of viral genomes [enterovirus (EV), 15 patients; adenovirus (ADV), 7 patients] were treated with recombinant IFN-β1a. In parallel to the viral elimination proven after 6-month antiviral treatment, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) improved, end-diastolic diameters declined significantly, and an amelioration of heart failure symptoms was evident. In patients with immunohistologically proven intramyocardial inflammation a substantial decrease of infiltrates and cell adhesion molecule expression was noted after IFN treatment. There were no severe side effects. Based on the favorable results of this pilot study, the randomized European-wide multicenter BICC trial (Betaferon®: Interferon-β in Patients With Chronic Viral Cardiomyopathy) for IFN-β1b treatment of patients with EMB-proven persistence of EV, ADV and parvovirus B19 (B19V) was conducted.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology and Pneumonology, Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200, Berlin, Germany

    Heinz-Peter Schultheiss & Uwe Kühl

  2. Department of Internal Medicine — Cardiology, University Hospital of Marburg and Giessen, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Baldinger Strasse 1, 35033, Marburg, Germany

    Michel Noutsias

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  1. Department of Cardiology and Pneumology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hinderburgdamm 30, 12200, Berlin, Germany

    Heinz-Peter Schultheiss  & Michel Noutsias  & 

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Schultheiss, HP., Noutsias, M., Kühl, U. (2010). Antiviral interferon-β treatment in patients with chronic viral cardiomyopathy. In: Schultheiss, HP., Noutsias, M. (eds) Inflammatory Cardiomyopathy (DCMi). Progress in Inflammation Research. Birkhäuser Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7643-8352-7_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7643-8352-7_14

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser Basel

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-7643-8352-7

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