The underlying mechanisms of inflammatory-dependent HF in diabetic patients include increased expression levels of interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and decreased activity of the collagen degrading matrix metalloproteinase (MMP). The gene discussed is VCAM1; the disease is hydrops fetalis.