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Published on: June 10, 2025

Carbohydrate antigen 125 predicts long-term mortality in African American patients with acute decompensated heart

Ibrahim N Mansour1, Sirikarn Napan, M Tarek Alahdab

  • 1Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Springfield, USA.

Congestive Heart Failure (Greenwich, Conn.)
|January 19, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) levels predict long-term mortality in African American patients with heart failure (HF). Elevated CA125 (>35 U/mL) identified a higher-risk group, aiding targeted treatment strategies for HF prognosis.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Biomarkers
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Heart failure (HF) disproportionately affects the African American (AA) population.
  • The prognostic utility of carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) in AA patients with HF is not well-established.
  • Understanding HF pathophysiology differences in AA patients is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between serum CA125 levels and prognosis in African American patients diagnosed with acute decompensated HF.
  • To determine if CA125 can predict long-term mortality and HF rehospitalization in this specific demographic.
  • To identify potential biomarkers for risk stratification in AA HF patients.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective enrollment of 172 consecutive African American patients with acute decompensated HF.
  • Serum CA125 levels measured within 48 hours of admission.
  • Patients categorized into quartiles based on CA125 levels; analysis of 40-month all-cause mortality and 18-month HF rehospitalization.

Main Results:

  • Median CA125 level was 16 U/mL; 33.7% of patients had elevated levels (>35 U/mL).
  • Elevated CA125 (>35 U/mL) was a significant independent predictor of 40-month all-cause mortality (aHR, 2.53; P=.002).
  • CA125 levels did not show a significant association with 18-month HF rehospitalization.

Conclusions:

  • Serum CA125 is a strong and independent predictor of long-term mortality in African American patients hospitalized with acute decompensated HF.
  • CA125 measurement can help identify high-risk individuals within the AA HF population.
  • This finding may facilitate more targeted therapeutic interventions for improved HF outcomes in African Americans.

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