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Therapies for Heart Failure: Clinical Updates and Perspectives

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Cardiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2026 | Viewed by 465

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Department VII, Internal Medicine II, Discipline of Cardiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes" Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
2. County Emergency Hospital "Pius Brinzeu", L. Rebreanu, Nr. 156, 300723 Timisoara, Romania
3. Center of Molecular Research in Nephrology and Vascular Disease, Faculty of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes" Timisoara, E. Murgu Square, Nr. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Interests: heart failure; systemic hypertension; acute and chronic coronary syndrome; arrhythmias; management of patients with cardiovascular diseases; cardiovascular risk factors

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Guest Editor
Department of Cardiology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Interests: rehabilitation in heart failure; risk prediction in cardiovascular disease; heart failure in patients with cancer; cardiovascular disease and autoimmune disease

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Guest Editor
1. Department of Cardiology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
2. Research Center of the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases Timisoara, 13A Gheorghe Adam Street, 300310 Timisoara, Romania
Interests: echocardiography; left-atrial function; device implantation; complex arrhythmia ablation; heart failure
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Although the symptoms of heart failure (HF) have been recognized for decades, there is still disagreement among researchers regarding its clinical presentation and optimal therapeutic strategies. As societies evolve, the signs and symptoms of HF are also adapting, showing considerable variation across populations depending on race, ethnicity, cultural background, lifestyle, and the presence of comorbidities such as cancer or diabetes mellitus.

Clinical manifestations, along with associated comorbidities, significantly influence the progression of HF, compelling clinicians to tailor treatment plans and explore novel therapeutic avenues.

A recent breakthrough in HF management has been the development of new oral glucose-lowering agents, particularly sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i). This drug class has become a cornerstone of HF therapy, with ongoing research continually revealing additional benefits. At every major cardiology conference, innovative diagnostic techniques, clinical strategies for symptom relief, and a spectrum of treatment options—from new pharmacological agents to minimally invasive device implants and advanced cardiac surgery—are being presented and discussed.

This Special Issue will be dedicated to advancing our understanding of the etiology and management of HF. We welcome the submission of original research articles and reviews that align with this aim.

Dr. Cristina Tudoran
Dr. Stela Iurciuc
Prof. Dr. Dragos Cozma
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • mechanisms of heart failure
  • new therapies for heart failure
  • chronic and acute heart failure
  • new approaches to managing heart failure patients
  • special populations
  • clinical outcome

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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21 pages, 2057 KB  
Systematic Review
Systemic Inflammatory Biomarkers (Interleukin-6, High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein, and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio) and Prognosis in Heart Failure: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies
by Ana-Maria Pah, Stefania Serban, Diana-Maria Mateescu, Ioana-Georgiana Cotet, Camelia-Oana Muresan, Adrian-Cosmin Ilie, Florina Buleu, Maria-Laura Craciun, Simina Crisan and Adina Avram
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(23), 8610; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14238610 - 4 Dec 2025
Viewed by 372
Abstract
Background: Systemic inflammation plays a pivotal role in heart failure (HF) progression, yet no meta-analysis has synthesized prospective cohort data on interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as prognostic biomarkers. Objectives: To quantify the independent prognostic value of IL-6, [...] Read more.
Background: Systemic inflammation plays a pivotal role in heart failure (HF) progression, yet no meta-analysis has synthesized prospective cohort data on interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as prognostic biomarkers. Objectives: To quantify the independent prognostic value of IL-6, hs-CRP, and NLR for mortality and HF-related outcomes across HF phenotypes. Methods: Following PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines, we searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and CENTRAL from January 2014 to October 2025 for prospective cohorts reporting adjusted hazard ratios (HRs). Random-effects meta-analysis pooled HRs; heterogeneity was assessed via I2 statistic, with subgroup and sensitivity analyses for robustness. Quality was evaluated using Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) and GRADE. Results: Thirteen cohorts (n ≈ 19,000) were included. Elevated IL-6 (five studies) was associated with increased all-cause mortality and composite outcomes (low-moderate heterogeneity, I2 < 35%). hs-CRP (five studies) showed similar prognostic strength, with trajectories amplifying risk. NLR (three studies) independently predicted adverse events with negligible heterogeneity. Associations persisted across HFrEF and HFpEF, acute/chronic settings, and geographic regions, independent of natriuretic peptides and comorbidities (NOS median 8/9; GRADE moderate-to-high). Conclusions: IL-6, hs-CRP, and NLR are robust, independent prognostic biomarkers in HF, supporting their integration into clinical risk stratification and inflammation-targeted therapies. PROSPERO: CRD420251207035. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapies for Heart Failure: Clinical Updates and Perspectives)
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