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Targeting Interleukin-1 in Heart Failure and Inflammatory Heart Disease

  • Pharmacologic Therapy (WHW Tang, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome characterized by dyspnea, fatigue, and poor exercise capacity due to insufficient cardiac function. HF represents the leading cause of hospitalization among adult patients over 65 years of age. Neurohormonal blockade has improved clinical outcomes; however, HF incidence continues to rise, suggesting an urgent need to develop novel drugs that target a different pathophysiological paradigm. Inflammation plays a central role in many cardiovascular diseases. Interleukin-1 (IL-1), a prototypical proinflammatory cytokine, is upregulated in HF and associated with worse prognosis. Preclinical models suggest a beneficial effect of IL-1 blockade, and pilot clinical trials are currently underway to evaluate the role of IL-1 blockade to reduce inflammation, ameliorate ventricular remodeling, and improve exercise capacity in patients with HF.

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Conflict of Interest

Benjamin W. Van Tassell has received research support through grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Heart Association (AHA) and has a patent for novel cryopyrin inhibitors pending.

Juan M. Valle Raleigh declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Antonio Abbate has received research support through grants from the NIH, AHA, Novartis, and Gilead; has received compensation from Janssen (speaker’s training) and SOBI (advisory board) for service as a consultant; has received nonfinancial support from Grifols; and has a patent for an inflammasome inhibitor pending.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcome Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 N 12th Street, Room 660, Richmond, VA, 23298-0533, USA

    Benjamin W. Van Tassell

  2. Victoria Johnson Research Laboratories, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Benjamin W. Van Tassell, Juan M. Valle Raleigh & Antonio Abbate

  3. VCU Pauley Heart Center, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Juan M. Valle Raleigh & Antonio Abbate

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  1. Benjamin W. Van Tassell
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  2. Juan M. Valle Raleigh
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  3. Antonio Abbate
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Correspondence to Benjamin W. Van Tassell.

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Van Tassell, B.W., Raleigh, J.M.V. & Abbate, A. Targeting Interleukin-1 in Heart Failure and Inflammatory Heart Disease. Curr Heart Fail Rep 12, 33–41 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11897-014-0231-7

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