title: Plasma calprotectin levels reflect disease severity in patients with chronic heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low-grade inflammation has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic heart failure (CHF). The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential usefulness of the inflammatory protein calprotectin as a biomarker in CHF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma calprotectin was measured in 193 CHF patients with left ventricular function <45% and in 100 healthy controls at baseline. Patients with CHF were followed for a median period of 2.6 years according to mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of plasma calprotectin were significantly increased in the CHF patients compared to the control group (P < 0.01), primarily due to elevated levels in the patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III and IV. Furthermore, plasma calprotectin was a superior biomarker of high NYHA classes than other parameters reflecting CHF severity, OR 2.2 (1.1-4.3) (P = 0.019). After the follow-up period, 46 patients had died. Plasma calprotectin levels did not predict mortality in CHF patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma calprotectin is increased in CHF patients, indicating that inflammatory activity is upregulated in CHF and may be associated with the severity of CHF.
authors: The Medical Research Laboratories, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. ljnoergaard@hotmail.com
authors: Louise J N
authors: LJ
authors: Jensen
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Kistorp
authors: Mette
authors: M
authors: Bjerre
authors: Ilan
authors: I
authors: Raymond
authors: Allan
authors: A
authors: Flyvbjerg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004452:Echocardiography; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013318:Stroke Volume; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex