Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 4, 2025

Coronary Progenitor Cells and Soluble Biomarkers in Cardiovascular Prognosis after Coronary Angioplasty
Published on: January 28, 2020
The Utility of Circulating and Imaging Biomarkers Alone and in Combination in Heart Failure
Biyanka Jaltotage1, Girish Dwivedi1, Daryl Eng Lee Ooi2
1Department of Cardiology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia.
Insights
Biomarkers can shorten heart failure clinical trials. Using circulating and imaging biomarkers may reduce patient numbers and funding needs for heart failure research.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biomarkers
- Clinical Trials
Background:
- Heart failure clinical trials traditionally use hard clinical endpoints.
- This approach leads to lengthy trials, large patient cohorts, and high costs.
- There is a need for more efficient trial designs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of circulating and imaging biomarkers as surrogates for hard clinical endpoints in heart failure trials.
- To theorize on combining biomarkers for improved surrogate efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Review of currently available circulating and imaging biomarkers for heart failure.
- Theoretical framework for combining biomarkers as surrogates for clinical outcomes.
Main Results:
- Circulating and imaging biomarkers show potential as surrogates for hard clinical endpoints.
- Combining biomarkers may offer a more robust surrogate measure.
Conclusions:
- Biomarker surrogates can significantly shorten clinical trials for heart failure treatments.
- This approach can reduce the required patient cohort size and funding.
- Biomarker-guided trials offer a more efficient pathway for heart failure research.
Abstract:
Clinical trials in the treatment of heart failure have relied on the use of a composite of hard clinical endpoints to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment arm. This has led to prolonged trials requiring large patient cohorts and extensive funding to reach statistical significance. In this paper, we have explored the potential of currently available circulating and imaging biomarkers associated with heart failure as a surrogate for hard clinical end points in clinical trials. This would be expected to result in shorter trials, smaller patient cohorts and limited funding required. We have subsequently theorized on combining circulating and imaging biomarkers as a surrogate for clinical end points such as hospitalization from heart failure and cardiac mortality.
Related Concept Videos
Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System I: Cardiac Biomarkers
The essential diagnostic tools for detecting myocardial necrosis and monitoring individuals suspected of having acute coronary syndrome (ACS) include:
Troponins
Troponins, particularly cardiac troponins I and T, are the most precise and sensitive markers of myocardial injury. They are detectable within 4-6 hours of myocardial injury and remain...
Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System II: CRP, Hcy, and Cardiac Natriuretic Peptide Markers
These markers indicate stress or strain on the heart muscle:
Natriuretic Peptides (BNP)
Cardiac myocytes produce these hormones in response to ventricular stretching...
Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies
Dysrhythmias V: Evaluating Dysrhythmias
Heart Failure V: Medical Management
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System III: X-Ray
Definition and Purpose
An X-ray, or radiograph, is a non-invasive method that uses ionizing radiation to take images of internal structures. It is mainly used in cardiac imaging to examine the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels, aiming to identify abnormalities in the heart's size, shape, and position, such as heart failure, congenital defects, and vascular...

