To investigate the effect of Astragalus injection (AI) on plasma levels of apoptosis-related factors in aged patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Seventy-two CHF patients were randomly divided into the AI group (36 cases) treated with AI and the control group (36 cases) treated with conventional treatment. Plasma levels of soluble Fas (sFas), soluble Fas ligand (sFasL), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) with monoclonal anti-human antibodies. Besides, New York Heart Association (NYHA) grading was assessed according to improved symptoms and left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were assessed by echocardiogram after 4 weeks of treatment. After 4 weeks of treatment, NYHA grading was markedly improved in the two groups, but it was significantly better in AI group than that in the control group (P < 0.05). As compared wit

Chinese journal of integrative medicine

fas Receptor - blood; Age Factors; Humans; Middle Aged; Tumor Necrosis Factors - blood; Membrane Glycoproteins - blood; Astragalus Plant; Male; Plant Preparations - administration & dosage; Heart Failure - blood; Heart Failure - drug therapy; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - analysis; Fas Ligand Protein; Injections; Apoptosis - immunology; Interleukin-6 - blood; Heart Failure - immunology; Female; Aged; Phytotherapy; Index Medicus; apoptosis; chronic heart failure; cytokines; Astragalus injection; the aged

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