title: Galectin-3 is an independent marker for ventricular remodeling and mortality in patients with chronic heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a recently discovered marker for myocardial fibrosis and elevated levels are associated with an impaired outcome after short-term follow-up in heart failure (HF) patients. However, whether Gal-3 is related to cardiac remodeling and outcome after long-term follow-up is unknown. Therefore, we determined the utility of Gal-3 as a novel biomarker for left ventricular remodeling and long-term outcome in patients with severe chronic HF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 240 HF patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III and IV were included. Patients were followed for 8.7 ± 1 years, had a mean age of 71 ± 0.6 years and 73 % of the study population was male. Circulating levels of NT-proBNP and Gal-3 were measured. Serial echocardiography was performed at baseline and at 3 months. At baseline median left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) was 267 mL [interquartile range 232-322]. Patients were divided into three groups according to the change in LVEDV. Patients in whom the LVEDV decreased over time had significant lower levels of Gal-3 at entry compared to patients in whom the LVEDV was stable or increased (14.7 vs. 17.9 vs. 19.0 ng/mL; p = 0.004 for trend), whereas no significant differences were seen in levels of NT-proBNP (p = 0.33). Multivariate linear regression analyses revealed that Gal-3 levels were positively correlated to change in LVEDV (p = 0.007). In addition, Gal-3 was a significant predictor of mortality after long-term follow-up (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gal-3 is associated with left ventricular remodeling determined by serial echocardiography and predicts long-term mortality in patients with severe chronic HF.
authors.affiliation: Deventer Hospital, Nico Bolkesteinlaan 75, 7415 CM, Deventer, The Netherlands. lokd@dz.nl
authors.forename: Dirk J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lok
authors.forename: Sjoukje I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Lok
authors.forename: Pieta W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Bruggink-André de la Porte
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Badings
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lipsic
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Wijngaarden
authors.forename: Rudolf A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: de Boer
authors.forename: Dirk J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: van Veldhuisen
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van der Meer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000097:blood*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D037502:Galectin 3; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain