Background: Galectin-3 is a marker of myocardial inflammation and fibrosis shown to correlate with morbidity and\nmortality in heart failure (HF). We examined the utility of galectin-3 as a marker of the severity of HF, the response\nof galectin-3 levels to ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation or heart transplantation (HTx), and its use as a\nprognostic indicator.\nMethods: Plasma galectin-3 was measured using a commercially available ELISA assay in patients with stable HF\n(n = 55), severe HF (n = 63), at 3 (n = 17) and 6 (n = 14) months post-LVAD and at LVAD explantation (n = 23),\npatients following HTx (n = 85) and healthy controls (n = 30).\nResults: Galectin-3 levels increase with the severity of HF (severe HF: 28.2 �± 14, stable HF: 19.7 �± 13, p = 0.001;\ncontrols: 13.2 �± 9 ng/ml, p = 0.02 versus stable HF). Following LVAD implantation, galectin-3 levels are initially lower\n(3 months: 23.7 �± 9, 6 months: 21.7 �± 9 versus 29.2 �± 14 ng/ml implantation; p = NS) but are higher at explantation\n(40.4 �± 19 ng/ml; p = 0.005 versus pre-LVAD). Galectin-3 levels >30 ng/ml are associated with lower survival post-LVAD\nplacement (76.5 % versus 95.0 % at 2 years, p = 0.009). After HTx, galectin-3 levels are lower (17.8 �± 7.1 ng/ml post-HTx\nversus 28.2 �± 14 pre-HTx; p < 0.0001). Patients with coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV) post-HTx showed higher\ngalectin-3 levels (20.5 �± 8.8 ng/ml versus 16.8 �± 6.3, p = 0.1) and the degree of CAV correlated with levels of galectin-3\n(r2 = 0.17, p < 0.0001).\nConclusions: Galectin-3 is associated with the severity of HF, exhibits dynamic changes during mechanical unloading\nand predicts survival post-LVAD. Further, galectin-3 is associated with the development on CAV post-HTx. Galectin-3\nmight serve as a novel biomarker in patients with HF, during LVAD support and following HTx.
Loading....