Heart failure biomarkers in revascularized patients with stable coronary heart disease as clinical outcome predictors.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate serum levels of galectin-3 (Gal-3) and N-terminal pro-brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients with stable obstructive coronary artery disease, as well as their potential to predict clinical outcomes. Methods: This was a single-center cross-sectional cohort study. 168 patients were divided into three groups: percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) group (N 64), coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) group (N 57), and group with no coronary stenosis (N 47). Gal-3 and NT-proBNP levels were measured and the Syntax score (Ss) was calculated. Results: The mean value of Gal-3 was 19.98 ng/ml and 9.51 ng/ml (p < 0.001) in the study group and control group, respectively. Highest value of Gal-3 was found in the group of subjects with three-vessel disease (p < 0.001). The mean value of NT-proBNP in the study group was 401.3 pg/ml, and in the control group 100.3 pg/ml (p = 0.159). The highest value of NT-proBNP was found in the group of subjects with three-vessel disease (p = 0.021). There was a statistically significant association between Gal-3, NT-proBNP and occurrence of adverse cardiovascular event (p = 0.0018; p = 0.0019). Conclusion: Gal-3 and NT-proBNP could be used as an additional tool for diagnosis and severity assessment of stable obstructive coronary artery disease. Furthermore, it could help identify high-risk patients who could experience major adverse cardiovascular events.

Association of Cancer with Heart Failure and the Prognostic Value of NT-proBNP in Cancer Patients: Findings from the NHANES (1999-2018).

Evidence regarding the association between cancer and heart failure (HF) is scarce. This study is to investigate the association between HF and cancer and explore the prognostic value of NT-proBNP in cancer patients. This cohort study used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 1999 to 2018 and linked mortality information until 2019. We included all participants with valid answer to questions regarding self-reported cancer and HF. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs. Our study included data from 54,847 adult participants. During a median (IQR) follow-up of 9.6 (4.0-15.1) years, 7674 deaths were recorded. HF was associated with an increased occurrence of cancer after propensity score matching (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.17-1.82, p < 0.001). Cancer was associated with a higher occurrence of HF (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.11-1.59, p = 0.002). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis over 10 years revealed the shortest survival in patients with both HF and cancer (log-rank p < 0.0001). Importantly, NT-proBNP was significantly higher in cancer patients, no matter whether with known HF (p < 0.01). In cancer patients without HF, NT-proBNP higher than 51.51 pg/mL was associated with shorter survival (log-rank p < 0.0001). Findings from this cohort study suggest that HF is significantly associated with cancer. NT-proBNP was higher in cancer patients, with significant prognostic value in cancer patients.

EASIX (endothelial activation and stress index) predicts mortality in patients with coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Coronary interventions reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome. However, the risk of mortality for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) additionally depends on their systemic endothelial health status. The 'Endothelial Activation and Stress Index' (EASIX) predicts endothelial complications and survival in diverse clinical settings. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that EASIX may predict mortality in patients with CAD. METHODS: In 1283 patients undergoing coronary catheterization (CC) and having a diagnosis of CAD, EASIX was measured within 52 days (range - 1 year to - 14 days) before CC and correlated with overall survival. In an independent validation cohort of 1934 patients, EASIXval was measured within 174 days (+ 28 days to + 11 years) after CC. RESULTS: EASIX predicted the risk of mortality after CC (per log2: hazard ratio (HR) 1.29, 95% confidence interval: [1.18-1.41], p < 0.001) in multivariable Cox regression analyses adjusting for age, sex, a high-grade coronary stenosis ≥ 90%, left ventricular ejection fraction, arterial hypertension and diabetes. In the independent cohort, EASIX correlated with EASIXval with rho = 0.7. The long-term predictive value of EASIXval was confirmed (per log2: HR 1.53, [1.42-1.64], p < 0.001) and could be validated by integrated Brier score and concordance index. Pre-established cut-offs (0.88-2.32) associated with increased mortality (cut-off 0.88: HR training: 1.63; HR validation: 1.67, p < 0.0001 and cut-off 2.32: HR training: 3.57; HR validation: 4.65, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: We validated EASIX as a potential biomarker to predict death of CAD patients, irrespective of the timing either before or after catheterization.

Changes of clinical characteristics, distribution of red flags and prognosis in contemporary patients with wild-type transthyretin amyloidosis cardiomyopathy.

AIM: Increased diagnostic awareness and specific disease treatments have changed the landscape of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR). Patients with wild-type ATTR (ATTRwt) are increasingly being diagnosed, potentially changing the clinical profile and prognosis compared with existing retrospective data. We aimed to study the clinical characteristics, distribution of red flags and prognosis of contemporary ATTRwt patients. METHODS: From January 1st 2017, to December 31st 2022, 213 consecutive patients were diagnosed with ATTRwt and prospectively followed up. Data on clinical characteristics, biomarkers, echocardiography findings, hospitalization due to worsening heart failure (WHF) and all-cause mortality were collected. RESULTS: A 37% increase in newly diagnosed patients from 2017-2019 (n = 90) vs. 2020-2022 (n = 123) was observed. The majority of patients presented with NAC disease stage I in the latter period (49% in 2017-2019 vs. 58% in 2020-2022, p = .16). Red flags were primarily cardiac-related, including elevated NT-proBNP, impaired left ventricular longitudinal systolic strain with an apical sparing pattern, heart failure with increased left ventricular wall thickness and elevated troponins. NAC disease stage I as well as low NT-proBNP levels (<1000 ng/L) were significantly associated with better survival (both p < .001). When compared with NAC disease stage II + III combined, patients with NAC disease stage I had a significantly lower risk of WHF hospitalization or death (log rank test: p = .0001). Independent predictors of the combined endpoint WHF hospitalization or death were NT-proBNP (HR 1.03 [95% CI 1.00-1.07], p < .049) and prior implantation of permanent pacemaker (HR 2.01 [1.30-3.11], p = .002). CONCLUSION: Increased diagnostic awareness resulted in a 37% increase in newly diagnosed patients in 2020-2022 vs. 2017-2019. As expected all-cause mortality but also the morbidity in terms of risk of hospitalization with WHF were significantly lower in patients with NAC disease stage I, as well as in those with low NT-proBNP levels <1000 ng/L. These findings underline the importance of continuous attention to diagnostic awareness, as early diagnosis is critical for initiating both general and specific ATTR treatment, thus improving prognosis.

Prognostic value of NT-proBNP and uric acid in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients after complete revascularization.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the prognostic value of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and uric acid (UA) in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients after complete revascularization (CR). METHODS: The clinical and physical data from 125 acute STEMI patients (research group) who underwent CR between December 2017 and December 2020 and 60 healthy individuals (control group) who concurrently underwent physical examinations in the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Serum samples were collected from both groups to determine the levels of NT-proBNP and UA. The 3-year follow-up data of acute STEMI patients were collected, which were used to group the patients into a good and a poor prognosis group based on their prognoses to comparatively analyze NT-proBNP and UA levels. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to analyze the prognostic value of NT-proBNP and UA in STEMI patients following CR, and survival curves were plotted to observe their influences on patients' 3-year overall survival (OS). Meanwhile, a univariate analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with the 3-year OS of acute STEMI patients after CR. RESULTS: The data showed significantly higher expression levels of serum NT-proBNP and UA in acute STEMI patients than in the controls. Besides, the good prognosis group exhibited markedly lower serum NT-proBNP and UA levels than the poor prognosis group. The areas under the curve (AUCs) of NT-proBNP and UA in predicting the prognosis of acute STEMI patients after CR were all above 0.700, and the AUC of their combined detection reached over 0.800. In addition, high serum NT-proBNP and UA levels were strongly associated with lower 3-year OS rates. As indicated by the univariate analysis, a history of smoking and alcoholism as well as high NT-proBNP and UA levels were closely associated with 3-year OS in acute STEMI patients after CR. CONCLUSIONS: NT-proBNP and UA have promising prognostic value in acute STEMI after CR.

Blood Biomarkers Predict 10-Year Clinical Outcomes in Adult Patients With Congenital Heart Disease.

Background: The adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) population is growing and risk prediction is important to predict adverse outcome and consult patients during their lifecourse. Objectives: This study aims to describe the long-term prognostic value of blood biomarkers in ACHD. Methods: In this prospective observational cohort study, 602 patients with moderate or complex ACHD were included (median age 32.5 years [IQR: 24.7-41.2], 42% female, 90% New York Heart Association I). N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high-sensitive-troponin T, growth differentiation factor 15, high-sensitive-C-reactive protein, suppression of tumorigenicity-2 and galectin-3, as well as full blood count, renal function, LDL, and HDL were measured. Cox models were applied to relate the selected biomarkers with the primary end point of all-cause mortality and secondary end point of mortality or heart failure. Standardized HRs adjusted for relevant prognostic factors, including age, sex, and complexity of diagnosis, were reported. Results: Abnormal biomarker levels were present in 424 (70.4%) patients. During a median follow-up of 10.1 years, 41 (6.8%) patients died and 81 (13.5%) developed heart failure. Associations were observed between the primary and secondary end point and red cell distribution width, NT-proBNP, and growth differentiation factor 15. In a multibiomarker model, only NT-proBNP remained associated with mortality (HR: 2.74; 95% CI: 2.01-3.74). NT-proBNP significantly improved the C-statistic of the clinical prediction model (0.85-0.92). Based on NT-proBNP alone, low-risk patients could be identified. Patients with NT-proBNP <76 ng/L showed a 10-year heart failure-free survival of 98.5%. Conclusions: Blood biomarkers have prognostic value in ACHD. NT-proBNP improves risk prediction and is able to identify low-risk patients. Its routine use should be implemented in ACHD.

Liver stiffness as a prognostic parameter and tool for risk stratification in advanced cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND: In light of increasing therapeutic options, risk stratification of advanced cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) is gaining clinical importance to avoid ineffective treatments. Liver stiffness as a marker of hypervolemia and hepatic congestion might predict mortality in advanced ATTR-CA and allow to identify patients at highest risk. METHODS: Proven ATTR-CA patients underwent repeated vibration-controlled transient elastography (VTCE) and standardized serial workup within the local amyloidosis cohort study AmyKoS. Spearman correlation analyses and Cox regressions were performed to evaluate the prognostic value. RESULTS: 41 patients with ATTR-CA were included with median age of 76.6 (55.1-89.1) years, of which 90.2% were male and > 92% wild-type ATTR-CA. In total, 85 VCTE examinations were performed. Median follow-up was 43.7 (2.4-75.6) months; 26.8% of the patients died. At the first clinical evaluation, median left ventricular (LV) absolute global longitudinal strain (GLS) was 11.4 (5.2-19.0) % and median liver stiffness was 6.3 (2.4-22.9) kPa, both significantly correlated with mortality. NT-proBNP possessed statistically significant predictive power in ATTR-CA with more preserved LV function (absolute GLS ≥ 10), whereas stiffness seemed to be more discriminative for ATTR-CA with absolute GLS < 10. The use of alternative congestion surrogates such as liver vein dilation and tricuspid regurgitation peak velocity (tr-vmax) showed congruent results. CONCLUSION: Liver stiffness shows prognostic value regarding all-cause mortality and allows risk stratification in advanced ATTR-CA, particularly in those with markedly impaired longitudinal LV function. These results are transferable to other congestion surrogates.

Predictive value of perioperative NT-proBNP levels for acute kidney injury in patients with compromised renal function undergoing cardiac surgery: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) significantly increases morbidity and mortality following cardiac surgery, especially in patients with pre-existing renal impairments. N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a marker of cardiac stress and dysfunction, conditions often exacerbated during cardiac surgery and prevalent in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Elevated NT-proBNP levels can indicate underlying cardiac strain, hemodynamic instability and volume overload. This study evaluated the association between perioperative changes in NT-proBNP levels and the incidence of AKI in this particular patient group. METHODS: This retrospective study involved patients with impaired renal function (eGFR 15-60 ml/min/1.73 m²) who underwent cardiac surgery from July to December 2022. It analyzed the association between the ratio of preoperative and ICU admittance post-surgery NT-proBNP levels and the development of AKI and AKI stage 2-3, based on KDIGO criteria, using multivariate logistic regression models. Restricted cubic spline analysis assessed non-linear associations between NT-proBNP and endpoints. Subgroup analysis was performed to assess the heterogeneity of the association between NT-proBNP and endpoints in subgroups. RESULTS: Among the 199 participants, 116 developed postoperative AKI and 16 required renal replacement therapy. Patients with AKI showed significantly higher postoperative NT-proBNP levels compared to those without AKI. Decreased baseline eGFR and increased post/preoperative NT-proBNP ratios were associated with higher AKI risk. Specifically, the highest quantile post/preoperative NT-proBNP ratio indicated an approximately seven-fold increase in AKI risk and a ninefold increase in AKI stage 2-3 risk compared to the lowest quantile. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting AKI and AKI stage 2-3 using NT-proBNP were 0.63 and 0.71, respectively, demonstrating moderate accuracy. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that the positive association between endpoints and logarithmic transformed post/preoperative NT-proBNP levels was consistently robust in subgroup analyses stratified by age, sex, surgery, CPB application, hypertension, diabetes status and fluid balance. CONCLUSION: Perioperative NT-proBNP level changes are predictive of postoperative AKI in patients with pre-existing renal deficiencies undergoing cardiac surgery, aiding in risk assessment and patient management.

Incremental prognostic utility of congestion markers in cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Congestion is prognostically relevant in cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR-CA), but whether congestion has an incremental prognostic value beyond the well-established, congestion-sensitive NT-proBNP is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to comparatively evaluate the prognostic utility of several congestion surrogates over NT-proBNP. METHODS: We estimated hazard ratios by Cox proportional hazards regressions with time-varying covariates from a panel data set of the local amyloidosis cohort study AmyKoS. Different models were compared by using chi(χ)2-statistics measuring overall model significance. RESULTS/CONCLUSION: 131 ATTR-CA patients (wild-type 84.0%, hereditary 6.9%, without genetic testing 9.2%; median age 78.7 (quartiles 73.3, 82.1) years; 85.5% male) with 566 observations across a median follow-up of 38.2 (30.6; 48.2) months were analyzed. 83.2% received disease-modifying treatment; 20.6% participated concurrently in placebo-controlled gene silencer trials. Information on congestion improved biomarker-driven risk stratification and identified patients at the highest risk. Echocardiographic congestion markers performed better than clinical findings and daily diuretic use/dosage. Relevant adjusters were daily diuretic dosage, disease-modifying treatment, eGFR, and right atrial volume. NT-proBNP and the tricuspid regurgitation peak velocity (tr-vmax) provided an easy-to-use stratification with overall model performance similar to NAC and Mayo staging systems. Further analyses are necessary for validation and to identify the optimal cut points of the congestion markers.

Significance of Galectin-3 and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide in the prediction of atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery.

Background: Post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a frequent complication after cardiac surgery. It is associated with prolonged hospital stay, increased morbidity, mortality rate and economic costs. The aim of the study was to determine the association between the values of Galectin3 and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) with POAF after cardiac surgery. Methods: A prospective study enrolled patients aged 18-85 years old admitted due to elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) or CABG + aortic valve replacement. The plasma Galectin-3 and NT-proBNP levels were measured one day before surgery postoperative days 1 and 7. Results: The study included a total of 103 patients. POAF was registered in 45 patients. The mean age of patients in whom POAF occurred was 68.8 years, while other patients' mean age was 65.5 years (p=0.028). Patients with POAF did not differ from the group without POAF in the values of Galectin-3 and NT-proBNP preoperatively as well as on the first and seventh postoperative days. Changes in Galectin-3 levels on the first postoperative day had statistically significant value for predicting POAF (AUC=0.627 0.509-0.745 , p<0.05). Decrease in Galectin-3 level con centration on the first postoperative day over 17% increases the risk of developing AF. Conclusions: Preoperative values of Galectin-3 and NTproBNP are not associated with POAF development after cardiac surgery.

Versatile conductometric biosensors for rapid and selective detection of inflammatory and cardiac biomarkers in saliva.

Biosensors have become promising alternatives to the conventional methods in early identification of diseases. However, translation of biosensors from lab to commercial products have challenges such as complex sensor fabrications and complicated detection, and inadequate sensitivity and selectivity. Here, we introduce simple and low-cost fabricated conductometric sensors based on high resistivity silicon wafers (HR-Si) which can be adopted to functionalise with both natural and synthetic antibodies in detecting five biomarkers including interleukin-6, C reactive protein, cardiac troponin I, brain natriuretic peptide, and N terminal-probrain natriuretic peptide. All five biomarkers show selective and rapid (10 min sample incubation and <1 min of reading time) detection in both media of phosphate buffer saline and saliva with the detection limits lower than that of reported healthy levels in saliva. This work highlights the versatility of HR-Si sensors in functionalisation of both natural and synthetic antibodies in sensitive and selective biomarker detection. As these miniaturised conductometric biosensors can be easily modified with on-demand biomaterials to detect corresponding target biomarkers, they enable a new category of compact point-of-care medical devices.

Setting the optimal threshold of NT-proBNP and BNP for the diagnosis of heart failure in patients over 75 years.

AIMS: Diagnosing acute heart failure (AHF) remains particularly challenging in older patients. Natriuretic peptides are recommended as valuable diagnostic tools in this context. This study aims to establish the diagnostic thresholds of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) for AHF in patients aged over 75 years, both with and without co-morbidities. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this retrospective longitudinal multicentre cohort study, data were gathered from 12 071 hospitalized patients aged 75 years or older, presenting with acute dyspnoea and undergoing BNP or NT-proBNP measurement within 48 h of admission across 10 Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris facilities between 2011 and 2022, encompassing geriatrics, cardiology, and pulmonology departments. Final diagnoses were categorized using ICD-10 criteria as either AHF or other acute respiratory conditions such as COPD exacerbation, pulmonary embolism, and pneumonia. The mean (SD) age of the population was 84.0 (80.0, 89.0) years, with 52.7% being female. Out of these, 7946 (65.8%) were diagnosed with AHF upon discharge. For NT-proBNP, the identified 'optimal' threshold for diagnosing AHF was 1748 ng/L, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 84%. Among patients aged over 85 years, a threshold of 2235 pg/mL for NT-proBNP was associated with an 84% PPV. In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), a threshold of 2332 pg/mL for NT-proBNP demonstrated a PPV of 90% for AHF diagnosis. Additionally, in patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 30 mL/min, a threshold of 3474 pg/mL for NT-proBNP yielded a 90% PPV for AHF diagnosis. In male patients, a threshold of 1800 pg/mL showed an 85% PPV for AHF diagnosis, while in patients with obesity, a threshold of 1375 pg/mL demonstrated an 85% PPV for AHF diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: In older patients, we found significant effects of co-morbidities on natriuretic peptides results, particularly in patients over 85 years old, older patients with abnormal renal function, obesity, and atrial fibrillation. Despite the consideration of those co-morbid conditions, NT-proBNP and BNP level continue to demonstrate utility in the diagnosis of AHF in older patients.

[Cardiac biomarkers prior to noncardiac surgery]. / Kardiale Biomarker vor nicht-kardiochirurgischen Eingriffen.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac biomarkers, such as high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N­terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are measured perioperatively to improve the prognosis and risk prediction. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC), European Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC) and the German Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI) have recently published guidelines on the use of cardiac biomarkers prior to surgery. OBJECTIVE/RESEARCH QUESTION: This article provides an overview of the available evidence on perioperative troponin and BNP/NT-proBNP measurements. Current guideline recommendations are presented and discussed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: MEDLINE, Cochrane and google.scholar were searched for relevant keywords. Titles and abstracts of identified papers were checked for relevance and published results were summarized. Guideline recommendations from the ESC, ESAIC and DGAI are presented, compared and evaluated based on the available literature. In addition, the significance of new perioperative cardiac biomarkers is discussed based on the existing evidence. RESULTS: The definitions, diagnosis and management of cardiovascular events in the perioperative context differ from those in the nonsurgical setting. The evidence for the measurement of hs-cTn and BNP/NT-proBNP is evaluated differently in the guidelines and the resulting recommendations are partly contradictory. In particular, recommendations for changes in perioperative management based on biomarker measurements diverge. The ESC guidelines propose an algorithm that uses preoperative biomarkers as the basis for additional cardiac investigations. In particular, invasive coronary angiography is recommended for patients with stable chronic coronary syndrome who have no preoperative cardiac symptoms but elevated biomarkers. In contrast, the ESAIC guidelines emphasize that the available evidence is not sufficient to use perioperative biomarker measurements as a basis for a change in perioperative management. DISCUSSION: Treating physicians should coordinate interdisciplinary (surgery, anesthesiology, cardiology) recommendations for clinical practice based on the aforementioned guidelines. If cardiac biomarkers are routinely determined in high-risk patients, this should be done in accordance with the ESC algorithm.

Predictive Value of Smoking Index Combined with NT-proBNP for Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Chronic Lung Disease: A Retrospective Study.

Purpose: Smoking is a major risk factor for the group 3 PH. NT-proBNP is a biomarker for risk stratification in PH. This study aims to investigate the effects of smoking status and smoking index (SI) on group 3 PH and to evaluate the value of SI and SI combined with NT-proBNP in early diagnosis and prediction of disease severity. Patients and Methods: Four hundred patients with group 3 PH at the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University between January 2020 and December 2021 were enrolled and divided into two groups: mild (30 mmHg ≤ pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP)≤50 mmHg) and non-mild (PASP >50 mmHg). The effect of smoking on group 3 PH was analyzed using univariate analysis, and logistic analysis was conducted to evaluate the risk of group 3 PH according to smoking status and SI. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to test the correlation between SI and the index of group 3 PH severity. The predictive value of SI was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: Correlation and logistic analyses showed that SI was associated with PH severity. Smoking status (P=0.009) and SI (P=0.039) were independent risk factors for non-mild group 3 PH, and ROC showed that the predictive value of SI (AUC:0.596) for non-mild PH was better than that of the recognized pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) (AUC:0.586). SI can be used as a single predictive marker. SI and NT-proBNP can be formulated as prediction models for screening non-mild clinical cases (AUC:0.628). Conclusion: SI is a potentially ideal non-invasive predictive marker for group 3 PH. SI and NT-proBNP could be used to develop a prediction model for screening non-mild PH cases. This can greatly improve the predictive specificity of the established PH marker, NT-proBNP.

The Real-World Data on Patients With Cardiac Stage IIIb AL Amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND: Morbidity and mortality of patients with immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis are strongly associated with the severity of cardiac involvement, especial in patients with cardiac stage IIIb, but the real-world data on these patients is still limited. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 77 patients diagnosed with cardiac stage IIIb AL amyloidosis at our center. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, treatment and outcome of the patients. RESULTS: The median age of patients was 57 years and 49.4% were male. Median serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and cardiac troponin T (cTnT) were 13,384 ng/L and 0.166 ug/L, and 42 (54.5%) patients had heart failure at diagnosis. Fifty-seven (74.0%) patients received antiplasma cell treatment, and the main treatment options include bortezomib or thalidomide combined with dexamethasone. The hematologic overall response rate was 70% (28/40), and at 6-month landmark analysis, patients with hematologic responses had a higher survival rate. Cardiac and renal responses were achieved in 14 (37.8%) and 13 (32.5%) patients, respectively. After a median follow-up of 10 months (range 1-115 months), median overall survival (OS) was 18 months, and the estimated survival rates at 3, 6, and 12 months were 79.9%, 75.6%, and 54.5%, respectively. In Cox regression models, age, hypotension and cTnT were independently predictive of mortality after adjusting for heart failure. CONCLUSION: The hematologic, cardiac and renal responses were relative lower in patients with cardiac stage IIIb AL amyloidosis. The overall prognosis of patients was poor, and age, hypotension, and cTnT can be used to predict mortality.

AI-enabled cardiac chambers volumetry in coronary artery calcium scans (AI-CACTM) predicts heart failure and outperforms NT-proBNP: The multi-ethnic study of Atherosclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scans contain useful information beyond the Agatston CAC score that is not currently reported. We recently reported that artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled cardiac chambers volumetry in CAC scans (AI-CAC™) predicted incident atrial fibrillation in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). In this study, we investigated the performance of AI-CAC cardiac chambers for prediction of incident heart failure (HF). METHODS: We applied AI-CAC to 5750 CAC scans of asymptomatic individuals (52% female, White 40%, Black 26%, Hispanic 22% Chinese 12%) free of known cardiovascular disease at the MESA baseline examination (2000-2002). We used the 15-year outcomes data and compared the time-dependent area under the curve (AUC) of AI-CAC volumetry versus NT-proBNP, Agatston score, and 9 known clinical risk factors (age, gender, diabetes, current smoking, hypertension medication, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, LDL, HDL for predicting incident HF over 15 years. RESULTS: Over 15 years of follow-up, 256 HF events accrued. The time-dependent AUC [95% CI] at 15 years for predicting HF with AI-CAC all chambers volumetry (0.86 [0.82,0.91]) was significantly higher than NT-proBNP (0.74 [0.69, 0.77]) and Agatston score (0.71 [0.68, 0.78]) (p â€‹< â€‹0.0001), and comparable to clinical risk factors (0.85, p â€‹= â€‹0.4141). Category-free Net Reclassification Index (NRI) [95% CI] adding AI-CAC LV significantly improved on clinical risk factors (0.32 [0.16,0.41]), NT-proBNP (0.46 [0.33,0.58]), and Agatston score (0.71 [0.57,0.81]) for HF prediction at 15 years (p â€‹< â€‹0.0001). CONCLUSION: AI-CAC volumetry significantly outperformed NT-proBNP and the Agatston CAC score, and significantly improved the AUC and category-free NRI of clinical risk factors for incident HF prediction.

Baseline NT-proBNP predicts acute kidney injury following transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Acute kidney injury (AKI) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) increases morbidity and mortality. Our study aimed to investigate the role of baseline N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) as a predictor of AKI following TAVI. METHODS: All consecutive TAVI patients were included in the analysis, except patients with dialysis and those with a GFR < 15 ml/min/1.73 m2 at baseline. Rates of AKI after TAVI were assessed according to the updated valve academic research consortium definitions using AKIN classification in three stages. NT-proBNP was measured at baseline. One-year mortality rates were assessed. RESULTS: We included 1973 patients treated with TAVI between January 2006 and December 2016. Median [IQR] age was 81.0 [77.0;84.0] years, the STS score was 6.2 [3.9;9.0], and the logEuroScore was 14.5 [9.0;23.0]. 30-day and one-year mortality was 5.1 % and 16.1 % for all patients, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that patients with NT-proBNP levels higher than two times above the upper level of normal (ULN) had an increased risk for AKI after TAVI compared to patients with NT-proBNP levels < 2× ULN (OR 1.40 [1.03-1.91]). CONCLUSIONS: Routine assessment of baseline NT-proBNP levels might be an additional tool to identify patients at increased risk for AKI after TAVI.

Cardiac markers in left-sided breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant radiotherapy: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between radiotherapy (RT) and cardiac biomarkers in women with left-sided breast cancer. METHODS: This prospective observational study recruited patients with stage I-III left-sided breast cancer without coronary heart disease who required adjuvant RT. High-sensitivity troponin I(hsTnI), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hsCRP) levels were measured pre-RT, immediately after RT, and 3 months post-RT. Cardiac-sparing RT techniques were utilized (Field-in-Field IMRT/VMAT ± voluntary deep inspiration breath-hold). Statistical analyses were performed using non-parametric tests and multivariable quantile regression (QR). RESULTS: One hundred five patients completed the study, with 63 evaluable at three months post-RT. Pre- and post-RT biomarkers showed no significant differences. Median pre-RT and post-RT values were: hsTnI (0.012ng/mL; 0.012ng/mL), hsCRP (3.1 mg/L; 2.8 mg/L), and NT-proBNP (59pg/mL; 45pg/mL). Three months post-RT, hsTnI, hsCRP and NT-proBNP levels also showed no significant differences. Multivariable QR revealed no association between heart Dmean [median(IQR): 2.87 Gy (2.05-3.94)] and post-RT biomarkers. Age and BMI were associated with hsCRP and NT-proBNP, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: hsTnI, NT-proBNP, and hsCRP are not correlated with contemporary low cardiac exposure in left-sided breast cancer patients treated with contemporary RT techniques.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of plasma miR-106a-5p levels in patients with acute heart failure.

BACKGROUND: It is essential to find reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis of acute heart failure (AHF) for its mitigation. Currently, increasing attention is paid to the role of microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) as diagnostic or prognostic markers for cardiovascular diseases. Since plasma miR-106a-5p has been observed to be downregulated in AHF, its value in the diagnosis and prognostic assessment of AHF deserves further exploration. Accordingly, this study analyzed the diagnostic and prognostic value of plasma miR-106a-5p in AHF patients. METHODS: Prospectively, this study included 127 AHF patients who met the 2021 European Society of Cardiology Guidelines and 127 control individuals. Plasma miR-106a-5p levels were determined with RT-qPCR. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation of plasma miR-106a-5p levels with NT-proBNP and hs-CRP levels in AHF patients. All AHF patients were followed up for 1 year and allocated into poor and good prognosis groups, and plasma miR-106a-5p levels were compared. The diagnostic and prognostic value of plasma miR-106a-5p for AHF was assessed with a receiver-operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: Plasma miR-106a-5p was lowly expressed in AHF patients versus controls (0.53 ± 0.26 vs. 1.09 ± 0.46) and showed significant negative correlations with NT-proBNP and hs-CRP levels. Plasma miR-106a-5p level < 0.655 could assist in AHF diagnosis. Plasma miR-106a-5p levels were markedly lower in poor-prognosis AHF patients than in good-prognosis patients. Plasma miR-106a-5p level < 0.544 could assist in predicting poor prognosis in AHF patients. CONCLUSION: Plasma miR-106a-5p is downregulated in AHF patients and could assist in diagnosis and poor prognosis prediction of AHF.

Quantification of ventricular stress in univentricular hearts during early childhood using age-independent zlog-NT-proBNP.

BACKGROUND: Children with univentricular hearts (UVH) undergo up to three palliative surgical procedures to achieve complete circulatory separation (Fontan circulation). As a marker of cardiac wall stress, NT-proBNP is a promising tool to assess systemic ventricular load in these patients. However, different reference intervals (RI) apply to each stage, as NT-proBNP is highly age-dependent. METHODS: Children undergoing systemic-to-pulmonary (SP) shunt placement (stage 1), bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt (BCPS, stage 2) or total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC, stage 3) between 2011 and 2021 with NT-proBNP measurement within 7 days before surgery were included. Furthermore, outpatients after TCPC with NT-proBNP measurement were enrolled. Biomarker levels were evaluated using its age-adjusted z-score ("zlog-NT-proBNP"; age-independent RI, -1.96 to +1.96), allowing comparison between different stages and revealing changes in systemic ventricular load independent of the marked physiological decline in RI with age. RESULTS: Overall, 289 children (227 before, 62 after TCPC) met the eligibility criteria. Median time between blood sampling and surgery (SP shunt/BCPS/TCPC) was 2 [1-3] days and 3.2 [2.0-4.5] years after TCPC. Age-adjusted zlog-NT-proBNP levels were 3.47 [2.79-3.93] in children with native UVH (before SP shunt), 3.10 [1.89-3.58] at stage 1 (before BCPS), 1.08 [0.51-1.88] at stage 2 (before TCPC), and 1.09 [0.72-1.75] at stage 3 (after TCPC/Fontan completion). Consequently, BCPS revealed the strongest decrease (median - 2.02 logarithmized standard deviations, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In children with UVH undergoing staged Fontan palliation, zlog-NT-proBNP is a highly promising tool for course assessment of systemic ventricular load, independent of the age-related decline in physiological NT-proBNP concentration.