The effect of etanercept on cardiac transplant recipients: a study of TNFalpha antagonism and cardiac allograft hypertrophy.
Author(s): Torre-Amione G, Wallace CK, Young JB, Koerner MM, Thohan V, McRee S, Bogaev RC
Affiliation(s): Methodist DeBakey Heart Center, Houston, TX, USA. gtorre@tmh.tmc.edu
Publication date & source: 2007-08-27, Transplantation., 84(4):480-3.
Publication type: Randomized Controlled Trial
Cardiac allograft hypertrophy is associated with persistent expression of cardiac tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. We investigated whether TNFalpha antagonism would impact allograft hypertrophy. EFECT (EFfect of Etanercept on Cardiac Transplantation) was a randomized, controlled, double-blind trial evaluating the effect of etanercept versus placebo treatment immediately posttransplant. The primary end-point was change in left ventricular (LV) mass after 6 months. Secondary endpoints included degree of collagen deposition at 6 months and incidence of adverse events. Forty-nine patients were randomized to either etanercept or placebo. LV mass increased significantly in both arms at 6 months, with a smaller increase in the etanercept group (19% vs. 33%, P=ns). Myocardial collagen content increased in the placebo, but not the etanercept, group (+39.8%, P<0.08 vs. -7.0%, P=NS). Allograft hypertrophy develops posttransplant with a corresponding increase in extracellular matrix. Etanercept appeared to decrease LV hypertrophy by decreasing extracellular matrix deposition.
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