Long-term follow-up of patients with myocarditis and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy after immunomodulatory therapy |
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Authors: | Milutin Miri ,Aleksandra Mi kovi ,Sr an Brki ,Jovan Vasiljevi ,Nenad Keserovi ,Milan Pe i |
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Affiliation: | Cardiology Department, “Dedinje”Clinic of Cardiovascular Diseases, Heroja Milana Tepića 1, 11000 Beograd, Yugoslavia;Kerckhoff Clinic, Bad Nauheim, FRG;Immunology Department, “Zvezdara”University Hospital, Beograd, Yugoslavia;“Torlak”Institut for Immunobiology and Virusology, Beograd, Yugoslavia;Institut for Immunology and Thymus Research, Bad Harzburg, FRG |
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Abstract: | Abstract The randomized clinical trial with interferon-α (IFN) or thymic hormones versus conventional therapy was conducted in patients with myocarditis and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC). We enrolled 180 patients to receive IFN (3–5 million units per day) for 3 months, thymomodulin (10 mg three times per week) for 2 months, or conventional therapy alone. Patients were followed-up for 7 years after the end of treatment. Left ventricular function, exercise tolerance and survival rate were significantly better at long-term follow-up in patients treated with IFN or thymomodulin, than in conventionally treated patients. These results implicate that immune modulating therapy might represent important contribution in the treatment of myocarditis and IDC. |
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Keywords: | Myocarditis Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy Interferon-α Thymic hormone |
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