The use of a cytokine panel to define the long-term risk stratification of heart failure/death in patients presenting with chest pain to the emergency department

OBJECTIVE: To determine if a cytokine panel could be informative regarding subsequent heart failure(HF)/death. DESIGN AND METHODS: In 216 subjects presenting with chest pain to an emergency department in 1996, EDTA plasma (-70 degrees C) was thawed for IL-6, MCP-1, IL-10, VEGF, EGF measurement. RESULTS: Subjects with any three cytokines elevated were at higher risk for HF/death compared to those with < or = two cytokines elevated. DISCUSSION: A cytokine panel might be useful for risk stratification for HF/death.