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The potential prognostic utility of salivary galectin-3 concentrations in heart failure
Xi Zhang1, Nuwan Karunathilaka1, Sameera Senanayake2
1Saliva and Liquid Biopsy Translational Research Team, School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 60 Musk Avenue, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, QLD, 4001, Australia.
Insights
Salivary Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a potential biomarker for heart failure (HF) risk. Higher salivary Gal-3 levels in HF patients indicate an increased risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization.
Area of Science:
- Biomarker Discovery
- Cardiovascular Research
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) patients face high rehospitalization rates, incurring significant healthcare costs.
- Non-invasive methods for monitoring HF are needed to improve patient management.
- Salivary Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is explored as a potential prognostic marker in HF.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prognostic utility of salivary Galectin-3 (Gal-3) in patients with heart failure (HF).
- To determine if salivary Gal-3 levels can predict adverse cardiovascular events in HF patients.
Main Methods:
- Saliva samples were collected from 105 HF patients at discharge or during clinic visits.
- Salivary Gal-3 concentrations were measured using ELISA.
- Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression models assessed prognostic value.
Main Results:
- Salivary Gal-3 concentrations were significantly higher in HF patients who experienced cardiovascular death or hospitalization.
- HF patients with salivary Gal-3 > 172.58 ng/mL had a significantly higher cumulative risk of adverse events.
- Salivary Gal-3 concentration independently predicted the primary endpoint in HF patients.
Conclusions:
- Elevated salivary Gal-3 levels (>172.58 ng/mL) are associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes in HF patients.
- Salivary Gal-3 shows potential as a prognostic biomarker for HF management.
- Further validation in larger multi-center trials is recommended to integrate salivary Gal-3 into routine HF care.
Background:
Patients with HF are at a higher risk of rehospitalisation and, as such, significant costs to our healthcare system. A non-invasive method to collect body fluids and measure Gal-3 could improve the current management of HF. In this study, we investigated the potential prognostic utility of salivary Galectin-3 (Gal-3) in patients with heart failure (HF).
Methods:
We collected saliva samples from patients with HF (n = 105) either at hospital discharge or during routine clinical visits. Gal-3 concentrations in saliva samples were measured by ELISA. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis and Cox proportional regression model were used to determine the potential prognostic utility of salivary Gal-3 concentrations.
Results:
The primary end point was either cardiovascular death or hospitalisation. Salivary Gal-3 concentrations were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in patients with HF who subsequently experienced the primary endpoint compared to those who did not. HF patients with salivary Gal-3 concentrations > 172.58 ng/mL had a significantly (p < 0.05) higher cumulative risk of the primary endpoint compared to those with lower salivary Gal-3 concentrations. In patients with HF, salivary Gal-3 concentration was a predictor of the primary endpoint even after adjusting for other covariates.
Conclusions:
In our pilot study, HF patients with salivary Gal-3 concentrations of > 172.58 ng/mL demonstrated a higher cumulative risk of the primary outcome compared to those with lower Gal-3 levels, even after adjusting for other variables. Confirming our findings in a larger multi-centre clinical trial in the future would enable salivary Gal-3 measurements to form part of routine management for patients with HF.
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