Simvastatin decreases myocardial tumor necrosis factor alpha content in heart transplant recipients.

Background: Statins improve patient survival and decrease rejection episodes in heart transplant recipients. We studied the effects of simvastatin treatment on myocardial tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) expression; TNF-alpha is a potent pro-inflammatory cytokine associated with hypertrophy and fibrosis in heart transplant recipients.

Methods: We randomized 10 consecutive heart transplant recipients to receive either 20 mg/day simvastatin (n = 5) or placebo (n = 5) for 6 months after cardiac transplantation.

Evidence of improved right ventricular structure after LVAD support in patients with end-stage cardiomyopathy.

Background: Although many reports demonstrate the hemodynamic benefits of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) in right-sided circulation, it is not known whether the right ventricular myocardium goes through reverse remodeling after left ventricular mechanical circulatory support. Accordingly, the purposes of our studies were 1). to investigate the right ventricular changes that occur in fibrosis, in cellular hypertrophy, and in intra-myocardial tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in patients receiving LVAD support; and 2).