A new study published in the Irish Journal of Medical Science investigated whether peripheral expression of the pro-inflammatory factors, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6 can predict variable of clinical assessment in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). The findings of this study revealed a significant negative correlation between gene expressions of TNFα and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). It was observed that patients with CHF had increased gene expression of TNFα and IL-6 in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC). They also had elevated the supernatant levels of these cytokines in cultured PBMCs. Additionally, levels of TNFα and IL-6 were increased in ischemic heart disease compared to non-ischemic heart disease. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between TNFα and IL-6 levels in CHF patients, and in the severity of CHF in patients. Levels of these cytokines were higher in patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) III-IV than in NYHA I-II and normal subjects. Hence, it was inferred that peripheral expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and IL-6, is important indicators of severity and prognosis in patients with chronic heart disease.