title: Association of the biomarkers soluble ST2, galectin-3 and growth-differentiation factor-15 with heart failure and other non-cardiac diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The biomarkers soluble ST2 (sST2), galectin-3, and growth-differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) provide prognostic information in patients with heart failure (HF). The aim of this study was to evaluate to which extent plasma concentrations of these biomarkers are increased in HF compared with diverse non-cardiac conditions such as infectious disease or chronic kidney disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 15 patients in each of the following clinical categories: HF without co-morbidity, pneumonia without co-morbidity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) without co-morbidity, HF and a co-morbidity of pneumonia, renal disease without co-morbidity, and sepsis. We used 22 healthy individuals as control group. In each of the 112 study participants, we measured plasma concentrations of sST2 (Presage assay), galectin-3 (Abbott assay) and GDF-15 (Roche assay).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to controls, the median sST2 concentration was ~2.5-fold increased in HF, ~3.5-fold in pneumonia, ~5.0-fold in COPD, ~5.8-fold in HF+pneumonia, and ~70-fold in sepsis (p<0.001 for all). sST2 was not significantly increased in renal disease. Compared to controls, the median galectin-3 concentration was ~1.5-fold increased in HF, ~1.4-fold in pneumonia, ~2.4-fold in HF+pneumonia, ~2.5-fold in renal disease, and ~2.7-fold in sepsis (p<0.001 for all). Galectin-3 was not significantly increased in COPD. Compared to controls, the median GDF-15 concentration was ~4.4-fold increased in HF, ~5.4-fold in pneumonia, ~2.1-fold in COPD, ~8.3-fold in HF+pneumonia, ~5.1-fold in renal disease, and ~27-fold in sepsis (p<0.001). In the 112 study participants, correlation analyses revealed a relatively strong association between galectin-3 and GDF-15 (correlation coefficient, 0.739; p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because increased plasma concentrations of sST2, galectin-3, and GDF-15 are not specific for a distinct disease group, the three biomarkers are not useful for diagnostic purposes. The results of our study are novel with respect to sST2, galectin-3 and GDF-15 as markers of inflammatory diseases and should encourage further studies.
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Konventhospital Barmherzige Brueder, Linz, Austria. Electronic address: thomas.mueller@bs-lab.at.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Mueller
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Konventhospital Barmherzige Brueder, Linz, Austria.
authors: Isabella
authors: I
authors: Leitner
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Konventhospital Barmherzige Brueder, Linz, Austria.
authors: Margot
authors: M
authors: Egger
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Konventhospital Barmherzige Brueder, Linz, Austria.
authors: Meinhard
authors: M
authors: Haltmayer
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Konventhospital Barmherzige Brueder, Linz, Austria.
authors: Benjamin
authors: B
authors: Dieplinger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001798:Blood Proteins; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000097:blood*; D037161:Galectins; D055436:Growth Differentiation Factor 15 / Q000097:blood*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D000072179:Interleukin-1 Receptor-Like 1 Protein; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000097:blood*; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; C526140:GDF15 protein, human; D037502:Galectin 3; D037161:Galectins; D055436:Growth Differentiation Factor 15; C079241:IL1RL1 protein, human; D000072179:Interleukin-1 Receptor-Like 1 Protein; C428445:LGALS3 protein, human; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface
keywords: Cardiac troponin; Galectins; Inflammation; Interleukin-1 receptor family; Natriuretic peptides; Transforming growth factor beta superfamily