Cor Vasa 2013, 55(6):e475-e478 | DOI: 10.1016/j.crvasa.2013.08.001

Czech Inflammatory Cardiomyopathy Immunosuppression Trial (CZECH-ICIT): Randomized, multicentric study comparing the effect of two regimens of combined immunosuppressive therapy in the treatment of inflammatory cardiomyopathy: The aims and design of the trial

Tomáš Paleček^a,c, Jan Krejčí^b,c,*, Ladislav Pecen^c, Hana Kostková^c, Petr Kuchynka^a,c, Hana Poloczková^b,c, Adam Svobodník^c, za kolektiv řešitelů studie CZECH-ICIT

^a II. interní klinika kardiologie a angiologie, 1. lékařská fakulta Univerzity Karlovy a Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice, Praha, Česká republika

^b I. interní kardioangiologická klinika, Lékařská fakulta Masarykovy univerzity a Fakultní nemocnice u sv. Anny v Brně, International Clinical Research Center, Brno, Česká republika

^c International Clinical Research Center, Fakultní nemocnice u sv. Anny v Brně, Brno, Česká republika

The intent of this article is to inform cardiology community with the aims and design of the open, randomized multicentric study comparing the effect of two regimens of combined immunosuppressive therapy with prednisone and azathioprine in the treatment of patients suffering from inflammatory cardiomyopathy with biopsy proven presence of myocardial inflammation and negative PCR findings for infectious cardiotropic agents. The authors of this study encourage cardiologists to active participation in this research project whose results may significantly contribute to improvement of the therapy of patients with inflammatory cardiomyopathy.

Keywords: Heart failure; Immunosuppressive therapy; Inflammatory cardiomyopathy

Received: July 30, 2013; Accepted: August 4, 2013; Published: December 1, 2013  Show citation