[Alteration and clinical significance of plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor in chronic heart failure].

The plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) were measured by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay in 109 patients who were grouped as "non-heart failure" (n = 36), "heart failure" (n = 36) and "cachexia" (n = 37). The results showed that there was no obvious difference in caloric intake among the three groups. Mean plasma levels of TNF were increased in patients with heart failure (0.51 +/- 0.2 ng.ml-1, P < 0.05) and even higher in patients with cachexia (6.19 +/- 2.76 ng.ml-1, P < 0.01) than in patients with non-heart failure (0.085 +/- 0.025 ng.ml-1). In the group with enhanced plasma levels of TNF (TNF > 100 pg.ml-1), the incidence of cachexia (61.0%) was obviously greater than that in the group with normal levels of TNF (17.6%). These findings indicate that plasma levels of TNF are elevated in patients with heart failure; high levels of TNF may play an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiac cachexia.