Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine marker of inflammation that exhibits significant prognostic value in predicting severity and outcome of sepsis, since it is considered to play a key role in the pathogenesis of sepsis. Accumulating evidence suggests that inflammatory cytokines play an important role in the development of heart failure. In particular, studies using genetically engineered animal models have demonstrated the critical role of the gp130-dependent cardiomyocyte survival pathway in the transition to heart failure. However, the significance of gp130 for patients with CHF has not been fully assessed. Previous clinical studies showed that the plasma level of IL-6 is elevated in patients with advanced CHF and that such high levels are associated with a poor prognosis for CHF patients.