The effects of levosimendan use on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in patients with decompensated heart failure

The present study was intended to investigate the effect of levosimendan on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels in hospitalized patients with decompensated heart failure.

The present study was designed as a prospective controlled clinical trial. A total of 50 patients with decompensated heart failure who were admitted to our hospital were included in the present study. Patients with stage III-IV heart failure based on the New York Heart Association, with systolic blood pressure > 100 mm Hg and with left ventricular ejection fraction of < 35%, were selected for the study population. The selected patients were divided into groups, levosimendan and furosemide.

There was no significant difference between the groups based on demographics, basal echocardiographic and basal laboratory data. No difference was determined in basal hsCRP (mg/l) levels between the group admitted levosimendan infusion and the furosemide group (9.99 ±6.2, 9.23 ±6.4, p = 0.66). However, the hsCRP levels measured at the 24^th h (38.34 ±32.1 vs. 12.97 ±12.3, p < 0.001), the 48^th h (31.13 ±29.9 vs. 12.44 ±10.1, p = 0.003) and the 72^nd h (27.41 ±26.9 vs. 9.89 ±8.4, p = 0.002) were significantly higher in the levosimendan infusion group than the furosemide group.

It was found that hsCRP levels were significantly higher in the levosimendan infusion group than the furosemide group. Such an outcome could be related to myocyte injury and/or the amplification of the inflammatory response due to levosimendan.