The Dutch scholar Lennaert Kleijn et al. conducted an 18-month follow-up of randomly enrolled patients with heart failure (New York Heart Function Class II-IV) aged > 18 years and showed that 40% of the 326 patients (130/326) had combined anemia (Hb <13 g/dl in men and <12 g/dl in women). Compared with heart failure patients without anemia, median interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity-C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR-1) were significantly higher in those with combined anemia. logistic regression analysis showed that hs-CRP (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.09 -2.29), sTNFR-1 (OR 1.09 - 2.29), and sTNFR-1 (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.24 -2.11; p<0.001) were independently associated with anemia; and erythropoietin (Epo) (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.01-1.69), sTNFR-1 (HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.16 -1.86) were independently associated with prognosis. The study concluded that inflammatory response plays an important role in heart failure complicated by anemia, and that anemia and inflammatory response affect the prognosis of heart failure. Li Jun, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Guang'anmen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine
(Li J. Abstract) Heart. 2012, 98:1237-1241.