title: Growth differentiation factor-15: a new biomarker in cardiovascular disease.
abstract: Growth differentiation factor-(GDF-)15 is a stress-responsive cytokine that is emerging as a biomarker of cardiac and vascular dysfunction and disease. Elevated circulating levels of GDF-15 identify high-risk individuals across the cardiovascular continuum, from stable coronary artery disease to acute coronary syndrome and heart failure. The association of GDF-15 with outcome in these conditions is independent of clinical risk factors and established biomarkers, including NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) and troponin. The prognostic information provided by GDF-15 in cardiovascular disease may inform patient management, e.g., by identifying patients with non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome who benefit from an invasive strategy, or by monitoring treatment response in heart failure. Future studies need to evaluate prospectively whether GDF-15, alone or as part of a multimarker strategy, can improve contemporary risk prediction algorithms and support therapeutic management of patients with cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kempf
authors.forename: Kai C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Wollert
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D055436:Growth Differentiation Factor 15 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D055436:Growth Differentiation Factor 15