Prognostic value of galectin-3, a novel marker of fibrosis, in patients with chronic heart failure: data from the DEAL-HF study.
OBJECTIVE
Biomarkers are increasingly being used in the management of patients with chronic heart failure (HF). Galectin-3 is a recently developed biomarker associated with fibrosis and inflammation, and it may play a role in cardiac remodeling in HF. We determined its prognostic value in patients with chronic HF.


RESULTS
Patients with chronic HF (New York Heart Association functional class III or IV) who participated in the Deventer-Alkmaar heart failure study were studied. Galectin-3 levels were determined at baseline using a novel optimized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the prognostic value of this biomarker. We studied 232 patients; their mean age was 71 +/- 10 years, 72% were male, and 96% were in NYHA class III. During a follow-up period of 6.5 years, 98 patients died. Galectin-3 was a significant predictor of mortality risk after adjustment for age and sex, and severity of HF and renal dysfunction, as assessed by NT-proBNP and estimated glomerular filtration rate, respectively (hazard ratio per standard deviation 1.24, 95% CI 1.03-1.50, P = 0.026).


CONCLUSIONS
Plasma galectin-3 is a novel prognostic marker in patients with chronic HF. Its prognostic value is independent of severity of HF, as assessed by NT-proBNP levels, and it may potentially be used in the management of such patients.
Deventer Hospital, Deventer, The Netherlands.
Dirk J A
DJ
Lok
Peter
P
Van Der Meer
Pieta W Bruggink-André
PW
de la Porte
Erik
E
Lipsic
Jan
J
Van Wijngaarden
Hans L
HL
Hillege
Dirk J
DJ
van Veldhuisen
D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D004719:Endomyocardial Fibrosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000097:blood*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
D015415:Biomarkers; D037502:Galectin 3