Importance of blood biomarker determination in the selection of patients with heart failure for cardioverterdefibrillator implantation

Aim. To conduct a comparative analysis of blood biomarker concentrations, to study their prognostic role in the occurrence of sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VT) or VT episodes requiring electrotherapy in patients with heart failure (HF) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤35% without prior syncope or sustained ventricular arrhythmias.

Material and methods. This single-center prospective clinical study included 319 patients (men, 83%) aged 57 (51-63) years with LVEF of 29 (24-33)% receiving optimal therapy for HF, hospitalized for cardioverterdefibrillator implantation for the purpose of primary prevention of sudden cardiac death. Before the procedure, the concentration of blood biomarkers (blood electrolytes, C-reactive protein, creatinine, Soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), galectin-3) was determined. Based on blood creatinine concentration, glomerular filtration rate was calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. Patients underwent a two-year prospective follow-up to record the end point of newly occurring clinically significant VT episodes detected by an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.

Results. The studied arrhythmic endpoint occurred in 84 (26,3%) patients. The multivariate analysis revealed three blood biomarkers, the concentration of which was associated with the first manifestation of VT. With sST-2 >35 ng/ml, this risk increased by ~3 times (odds ratio (OR)=2,86; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1,23-6,64 (p=0,013)). Galectin-3 level >12 ng/ml had a comparable prognostic value (OR=2,64; 95% CI: 1,06-6,53 (p=0,032)). In case of an increase in NT-proBNP >2000 pg/ml, the risk of the same outcome was 2,2 times lower (OR=0,46; 95% CI: 0,22-0,95 (p=0,034)).

Conclusion. Pre-implantation laboratory screening of NT-proBNP, sST-2 and galectin-3 concentrations can help in personalized assessment of arrhythmic risk in patients with HF and LVEF ≤35% referred for interventional primary prevention of sudden cardiac death. 

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