Low-dose radiation therapy may reduce inflammation, improve heart function

Treatment for patients with ventricular tachycardia, a potentially fatal abnormal cardiac rhythm, has included radiation therapy, which was pioneered by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis. The team found the therapy effective in enhancing heart function in various heart failures.
The study suggests that the effects of radiation on injured hearts with high levels of inflammation may be more varied and beneficial than previously thought, however additional research is required. Low-dose radiation therapy improves cardiac function, at least partially, by lowering the quantity of inflammatory immune cells in the heart muscle, according to a study published in the journal Med.
Co-senior author and cardiologist Ali Javaheri, MD, PhD, said, “The radiation therapy used to treat ventricular tachycardia is targeted to a specific location in the heart; however, a large portion of the rest of the heart gets a low-dose exposure. We wanted to understand the effects of that low-dose radiation on these patients’ hearts. There was concern that it could be harmful to overall heart function, even though it treats dangerous arrhythmia. We were surprised to find the opposite: Heart function appeared to be improved after radiation therapy, at least in the short term.”
Co-senior author and radiation oncologist Carmen Bergom, MD, PhD, said, “We know that rapidly dividing cells - such as cancer cells, for example, tend to be more susceptible to death by radiation. The effect we see in these hearts is likely more complex than a simple reduction of rapidly dividing inflammatory immune cells. We are continuing our research to delve more deeply into what else may be happening, but we have been pleasantly surprised to see evidence that low-dose radiation in these hearts may reduce inflammation and help remodel the heart in a way that is beneficial.”