title: Measurement of Galectin-3 with the ARCHITECT assay: Clinical validity and cost-effectiveness in patients with heart failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Galectin-3 (Gal-3) testing is emerging as a valuable tool for the prognosis of heart failure (HF). Our objectives were to determine the clinical validity and cost-effectiveness of the recently developed ARCHITECT Gal-3 automated immunoassay.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gal-3 levels were measured in HF patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction with the ARCHITECT i2000SR Gal-3 assay as well as with the reference Gal-3 ELISA assay. The relationship between Gal-3 levels determined with the automated assay and HF severity as well as its predictive value for long-term cardiovascular death were evaluated. The impact of Gal-3 testing on the diagnostic related group (DRG) based reimbursement was also estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gal-3 levels measured with the ARCHITECT assay were related to the severity of HF based on New York Heart Association functional classes (p<0.001) and were also significantly and positively correlated to BNP concentrations (r=0.35, p<0.001). Gal-3 values higher than 19.2 ng/mL were predictive of long-term cardiovascular death in patients with systolic HF and also provided incremental prognostic information to BNP testing. In addition, Gal-3 testing was estimated to save DRG in comparison to standard of care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrated the clinical validity of the ARCHITECT Gal-3 automated immunoassay for the risk stratification of HF patients. The automation of Gal-3 testing was also cost-effective and might help to preserve hospital budget.
authors.affiliation: Pôle de recherche en Endocrinologie, Diabète et Nutrition, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc and Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc and Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: damien.gruson@uclouvain.be.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gruson
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc and Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc and Pôle de recherche cardiovasculaire, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc and Pôle de recherche cardiovasculaire, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Rousseau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000097:blood*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D037502:Galectin 3
keywords: Architect; BNP; Biomarkers; Cost-effectiveness; Galectin-3; Heart failure; Prognosis