No abstract

We assessed the predictive ability of circulating biomarkers involved in collagen synthesis (procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide [PINP], and procollagen type III N-terminal propeptide [PIIINP], collagen degradation (c-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I [CTx] and mediators of cardiac fibrosis (Galectin-3 and soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 protein or sST2) as prognosis markers in 182 subjects with chronic heart failure (HF). In univariate analysis, all markers predicted mortality (except for PINP). A multivariate baseline model was fitted including variables potentially associated with mortality in HF patients. The baseline regression model included age, clinical data and biomarkers. We created four models from the baseline model augmented with the levels of hs-cTnT, CRP and NT-proBNP (model 1), CTx/PIIINP ratio, sST2 and Galectine-3 (model 2), NT-proBNP and sST2 (model 3) and NT-proBNP, CTx/PIIINP ratio and sST2 (model 4), to test whether these biomarkers have an incremental value for predicting mortality. After the addition of all biomarkers to the baseline model, age, CTx/PIIINP ratio and sST2 remained significant predictors. By contrast, Galectin-3 was not significantly associated with mortality. A multimarker strategy, demonstrated that the greatest prognostic improvement was attained with the combined addition of CTx/PIIINP ratio and sST2 highlighting the potential role of fibrosis pathways in risk stratification.

Heart failure is the most frequent cardiac complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Biomarkers help identify high-risk patients. Natriuretic peptides (BNP and NT-proBNP) are largely used for monitoring patients with cardiac failure but are highly dependent on glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) biomarker is well identified in risk stratification of cardiovascular (CV) events in heart failure. Furthermore, sST2 is included in a bioclinical score to stratify mortality risk. The aims of this study were to evaluate (i) the interest of circulating sST2 level in heart dysfunction and (ii) the bioclinical score (Barcelona Bio-Heart Failure risk calculator) to predict the risk of composite outcome (major adverse coronary events) and mortality in the CKD population. A retrospective study was carried out on 218 CKD patients enrolled from 2004 to 2015 at Montpellier University Hospital. sST2 was measured by ELISA (Presage ST2® kit). GFR was estimated by the CKD-EPI equation (eGFR). Indices of cardiac parameters were performed by cardiac echography. No patient had reduced ejection fraction. 112 patients had left ventricular hypertrophy, and 184 presented cardiac dysfunction, with structural, functional abnormalities or both. sST2 was independent of age and eGFR (ρ = 0.05, p = 0.44, and ρ = −0.07, p = 0.3, respectively). Regarding echocardiogram data, sST2 was correlated with left ventricular mass index (ρ = 0.16, p = 0.02), left atrial diameter (ρ = 0.14, p = 0.04), and volume index (ρ = 0.13, p = 0.05). sST2 alone did not change risk prediction of death and/or CV events compared to natriuretic peptides. Included in the Barcelona Bio-Heart Failure (BCN Bio-HF) score, sST2 added value and better stratified the risk of CV events and/or death in CKD patients (p < 0.0001). To conclude, sST2 was associated with cardiac remodeling independently of eGFR, unlike other cardiac biomarkers. Added to the BCN Bio-HF score, the risk stratification of death and/or CV events in nondialyzed CKD patients was highly improved.