Background: Immunoadsorption (IA) and subsequent immunoglobulin (Ig) G substitution represent an additional therapeutic approach in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). It remains to be elucidated whether this treatment modulates myocardial inflammation, which is possibly a causal factor of ventricular dysfunction.
Methods and results: From 25 DCM patients (EF <30%), 12 patients were randomized for IA therapy and subsequent IgG substitution at 1-month intervals until month 3. Before (<7 days) and after IA therapy, right ventricular biopsies were obtained from all patients. Biopsies were also obtained at intervals of 3 months from 13 patients without IA/IgG treatment (controls). IA/IgG treatment induced improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction from 21.3+/-1.7% (+/-SEM) to 27.0+/-1.3% (P<0.01 versus baseline/controls) and reduction of the beta-receptor autoantibody serum levels (P<0.01 versus baseline/controls). The number of CD3 cells decreased from 5.7+/-0.8 to 2.9+/-0.5 cells/mm(2) (P<0.01 versus baseline/controls). This decline was paralleled by a decrease in CD4 (P<0.01 versus baseline/controls) and CD8 (P<0.05 versus baseline/controls) lymphocytes. The number of leukocyte common antigen-positive cells (leukocytes) was reduced from 20.0+/-3.2 to 9.9+/-2.8 cells/mm(2) (P<0.01 versus baseline/P<0.05 versus controls). HLA class II expression decreased from 2.1+/-0.7% to 1.1+/-0.4% (P<0.05 versus controls/baseline). The number of immunopositive cells and the expression of HLA class II in controls remained stable. In both groups, the degree of fibrosis remained unchanged.
Conclusions: IA and subsequent IgG substitution mitigate myocardial inflammation in DCM.