High interleukin-8 serum levels independently predict long-term all-cause mortality in chronic heart failure.

Background: Chronic heart failure (HF) is a complex syndrome with significant morbidity and mortality, where inflammation is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in its progression. This study investigated the association of cytokine and chemokine profiles with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and long-term mortality in patients with chronic HF. Methods: Serum concentrations of 13 cytokines were measured in 145 patients from the Cognition.Matters-HF study baseline cohort using a bead-based multiplex assay. Detailed clinical and cognitive evaluations were conducted, and survival data were tracked over 10 years. Cox proportional hazards regression and logistic regression models were applied to assess independent associations with mortality and MCI. Results: No cytokine was independently associated with MCI. However, high interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels (>5.3 pg/ml) were significantly and independently associated with all-cause mortality (HR: 2.30; 95% CI: 1.30-4.07; Conclusions: These findings suggest IL-8's unique role in HF pathophysiology and its potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target. Further research is needed to validate these results and explore the clinical utility of IL-8 modulation in HF management.