Acute heart failure following myocardial infarction: complement activation correlates with the severity of heart failure in patients developing cardiogenic shock

Aims Heart failure (HF) is an impending complication to myocardial infarction. We hypothesized that the degree of complement activation reflects severity of HF following acute myocardial infarction. Methods and results The LEAF trial (LEvosimendan in Acute heart Failure following myocardial infarction) evaluating 61 patients developing HF within 48 h after percutaneous coronary intervention‐treated ST‐elevation myocardial infarction herein underwent a post hoc analysis. Blood samples were drawn from inclusion to Day 5 and at 42 day follow‐up, and biomarkers were measured with enzyme immunoassays. Regional myocardial contractility was measured by echocardiography as wall motion score index (WMSI). The cardiogenic shock group (n = 9) was compared with the non‐shock group (n = 52). Controls (n = 44) were age‐matched and sex‐matched healthy individuals. C4bc, C3bc, C3bBbP, and sC5b‐9 were elevated in patients at inclusion compared with controls (P < 0.01). The shock group had higher levels compared with the non‐shock group for all activation products except C3bBbP (P < 0.05). At Day 42, all products were higher in the shock group (P < 0.05). In the shock group, sC5b‐9 correlated significantly with WMSI at baseline (r = 0.68; P = 0.045) and at Day 42 (r = 0.84; P = 0.036). Peak sC5b‐9 level correlated strongly with WMSI at Day 42 (r = 0.98; P = 0.005). Circulating endothelial cell activation markers sICAM‐1 and sVCAM‐1 were higher in the shock group during the acute phase (P < 0.01), and their peak levels correlated with sC5b‐9 peak level in the whole HF population (r = 0.32; P = 0.014 and r = 0.30; P = 0.022, respectively). Conclusions Complement activation discriminated cardiogenic shock from non‐shock in acute ST‐elevation myocardial infarction complicated by HF and correlated with regional contractility and endothelial cell activation, suggesting a pathogenic role of complement in this condition

Soluble IL-1 receptor 2 is associated with left ventricular remodelling in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Background The inflammatory response following myocardial infarction (MI) is prerequisite for proper healing of infarcted tissue, but can also have detrimental effects on cardiac function. Interleukin (IL)-1α and IL-1β are potent inflammatory mediators and their bioactivity is tightly regulated by IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and soluble (s) IL-1 receptors (R). We aimed to examine whether levels of soluble regulators of IL-1 signalling are changed during ST-elevation MI (STEMI) and their associations with parameters of cardiac injury and ventricular remodelling. Methods Plasma levels of IL-1Ra, sIL-1R1, sIL-1R2 and sIL-1R accessory protein (sIL-1RAcP) were measured by immunoassays in repeated samples from patients with STEMI (n = 255) and compared to healthy controls (n = 65). Results IL-1Ra, sIL-1R1 and sIL-1R2 levels were all significantly elevated after STEMI, while levels of sIL-1RAcP were lower compared to controls. sIL-1R2 levels (at different time points) correlated positively with C-reactive protein, myocardial infarct size and change in indexed left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volume (LVEDVi and LVESVi) measured by cardiac MR acutely and after 4 months, and negatively with LV ejection fraction. Patients with >median levels of sIL-1R2 in the acute phase were more likely to have increased change in LVEDVi and LVESVi. Importantly, sIL-1R2 remained significantly associated with change in LVEDVi and LVESVi also after adjustment for clinical covariates. Conclusion Levels of sIL-1R2 are independently associated with parameters of LV adverse remodelling following STEMI

Soluble IL-1 receptor 2 is associated with left ventricular remodelling in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Background: The inflammatory response following myocardial infarction (MI) is prerequisite for proper healing of infarcted tissue, but can also have detrimental effects on cardiac function. Interleukin (IL)-1α and IL-1β are potent inflammatory mediators and their bioactivity is tightly regulated by IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and soluble (s) IL-1 receptors (R). We aimed to examine whether levels of soluble regulators of IL-1 signalling are changed during ST-elevation MI (STEMI) and their associations with parameters of cardiac injury and ventricular remodelling. Methods: Plasma levels of IL-1Ra, sIL-1R1, sIL-1R2 and sIL-1R accessory protein (sIL-1RAcP) were measured by immunoassays in repeated samples from patients with STEMI (n = 255) and compared to healthy controls (n = 65). Results: IL-1Ra, sIL-1R1 and sIL-1R2 levels were all significantly elevated after STEMI, while levels of sIL-1RAcP were lower compared to controls. sIL-1R2 levels (at different time points) correlated positively with C-reactive protein, myocardial infarct size and change in indexed left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volume (LVEDVi and LVESVi) measured by cardiac MR acutely and after 4 months, and negatively with LV ejection fraction. Patients with >median levels of sIL-1R2 in the acute phase were more likely to have increased change in LVEDVi and LVESVi. Importantly, sIL-1R2 remained significantly associated with change in LVEDVi and LVESVi also after adjustment for clinical covariates. Conclusion: Levels of sIL-1R2 are independently associated with parameters of LV adverse remodelling following STEMI.</p