Galectin-3 and heart failure: prognosis, prediction & clinical utility

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of mortality in the western world. Despite advances in the treatment of HF, like the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, β-blockers, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and implantable cardiac defibrillators, prognosis of HF patients remains poor. For clinicians dealing with HF patients, risk prediction in both acute, chronic, and new onset HF remains a challenge. Biomarkers might help in risk stratification and may guide the proper use of limited resources and therapy. Galectin-3 is an emerging biomarker which has been linked to tissue fibrosis, a hallmark in cardiac remodeling and HF. Galectin-3 can reliably be measured in the circulation, and several recent studies have shown the prognostic value of galectin-3 in acute and chronic HF, and its potential utility in the general population. The purpose of this review was to summarize the literature and explore the potential role of galectin-3 as a biomarker in HF.