Trankle C, et al. - Researchers investigated whether blocking interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in patients with symptomatic systolic heart failure (HF) would improve their cardiorespiratory fitness. In this small pre-specified secondary analysis of the Canakinumab Anti-inflammatory Thrombosis Outcome Study (CANTOS) trial, they assessed changes in peak oxygen consumption (VO₂) as well as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) before and after treatment with canakinumab vs placebo in 30 patients with prior myocardial infarction (MI), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ≥2 mg/L and HF with LVEF <50%. Findings supported the positive results of the overall study, and IL-1 was confirmed as a potential therapeutic target in HF.