The differences in concentrations of biomarkers between heart failure patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (HF-D) and with ischemic cardiomyopathy (HF-I) have yet to be defined. The objectives of this study were to compare the concentrations and correlation of biomarkers of inflammation, extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover and oxidative stress parameters between these populations.Our study consisted of 36 subjects with HF-D (LVSD = 47.2 ± 7.3 mm, LVDD = 65.1 ± 6.3 mm), 44 subjects with HF-I (LVSD = 38.0 ± 4.4 mm, LVDD = 58.5 ± 6.0 mm) and 38 controls without heart failure. Concentrations of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-13, Galectin-3, prolidase, TNF-alpha, and oxidative stress index (OSI) were measured.Serum levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, and prolidase were significantly increased in HF-I group compared to healthy controls (p = 0.039, 0.019, 0.012 respectively), whereas the increases in MMP-1 and MMP-13 were not significant. This significance was stronger in the HF-D group than the HF-I group (p = 0.004, 0.001, 0.002 respectively). TNF-α, a marker of inflammation, was significantly increased in heart failure (p = 0.004) but there was no difference between HF-D and HF-I groups; however, Galectin-3 was significantly increased in the HF-D group compared to the HF-I group (p = 0.005). OSI showed the same response pattern as TNF-α (p = 0.019, 0.002 respectively). There was a positive correlation of MMP-9 levels with prolidase activity (r = 0.612, p: 0.003).MMPs and Galectin-3 are important in cardiac remodeling; prolidase may share an undefined role in fibrosis in heart failure and may have a role in the diffuse fibrosis of heart failure.