Growth hormone and proinflammatory cytokine activation in heart failure. Just a new verse to an old sirens' song?

摘要: See doi:10.1016/S1095-668X(03)00480-9for thearticle to which this editorial refers Despite recent advances in pharmacotherapy, patients living with heart failure carry a heavy burden terms of morbidity and mortality. For example, recently completed large-scale clinical trial, 30% stable NYHA class II or III died during mean follow-up period less than 3 1/2 years; at the same time, 25% these were hospitalized least once for worsening failure, despite optimal combination treatment an ACE-inhibitor, AT1-receptor antagonist, β-blocker.1Apparently, we have reached therapeutic ceiling traditional neurohormonal approaches treating failure. Fortunately, however, additional strategies are actively being explored. In context, growth hormone (GH) has been proposed as modality patients.2Remarkably, scientific rationale that stimulated research into adjunctive therapy …