Soluble ST2 and Diuretic Efficiency in Acute Heart Failure and Concomitant Renal Dysfunction

Identifying patients at risk of poor diuretic response in acute heart failure (AHF) is critical to make prompt adjustments in therapy. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the circulating levels of soluble ST2 predict the cumulative diuretic efficiency (DE) at 24 and 72 hours in patients with AHF and concomitant renal dysfunction.

This is a post hoc analysis of the IMPROVE-HF trial, in which we enrolled 160 patients with AHF and renal dysfunction (estimated glomerular filtrate rate of <60 mL/min/1.73 m²). DE was calculated as the net fluid output produced per 40 mg of furosemide equivalents. The association between sST2 and DE was evaluated by using multivariate linear regression analysis. The median cumulative DE at 24 and 72 hour was 747 mL (interquartile range 490-1167 mL) and 1844 mL (interquartile range 1142-2625 mL), respectively. The median sST2 and mean estimated glomerular filtrate rate were 72 ng/mL (interquartile range 47-117 ng/mL), and 34.0 ± 8.5 mL/min/1.73 m², respectively. In a multivariable setting, higher sST2 were significant and nonlinearly related to lower DE both at 24 and 72 hours (P = .002 and P = .019, respectively).

In patients with AHF and renal dysfunction at presentation, circulating levels of sST2 were independently and negatively associated with a poor diuretic response, both at 24 and 72 hours.