Sarcopenia and Frailty in Heart Failure: Is There a Biomarker Signature?

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Sarcopenia and frailty are common in patients with heart failure (HF) and are strongly associated with prognosis. This review aims to examine promising biomarkers that can guide physicians in identifying sarcopenia and frailty in HF. RECENT FINDINGS: Traditional biomarkers including C-reactive protein, aminotransaminase, myostatin, and urinary creatinine as well as novel biomarkers including microRNAs, suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2), galectin-3, and procollagen type III N-terminal peptide may help in predicting the development of sarcopenia and frailty in HF patients. Among those biomarkers, aminotransferase, urinary creatinine, and ST2 predicted the prognosis in HF patients with sarcopenia and frailty. This review outlines the current knowledge of biomarkers that are considered promising for diagnosing sarcopenia and frailty in HF. The listed biomarkers might support the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic decisions for sarcopenia and frailty in HF patients.