OBJECTIVE: Interleukin-38 (IL-38) attenuates inflammation, myocardial injury, and ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction, which potentially reduces the incidence of heart failure (HF). This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of IL-38 for HF. METHODS: IL-38 was detected via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the serum samples of 238 hF patients and 30 healthy controls when enrollment. RESULTS: IL-38 was elevated in HF patients compared with controls ( CONCLUSION: IL-38 is increased in HF patients compared with controls, and its combination with age and gender shows a good value for the diagnosis of HF.