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Obesity, Galectin-3, and Incident Heart Failure: The ARIC Study
Roberta Florido1,2, Lucia Kwak3, Justin B Echouffo-Tcheugui4
1Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD.
Journal of the American Heart Association
|May 2, 2022
Summary
Obesity is linked to higher levels of galectin-3, a marker of cardiac inflammation and fibrosis. This combination significantly increases the risk of developing heart failure (HF).
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biomarkers
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Laboratory studies suggest a link between obesity, myocardial inflammation, and fibrosis.
- Clinical data on this association and its implications for heart failure (HF) risk are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between obesity and galectin-3, a biomarker for cardiac inflammation and fibrosis.
- To examine the implications of this association for heart failure risk.
Main Methods:
- 8687 participants free of heart disease from the ARIC study were analyzed.
- Logistic regression assessed the association of body mass index (BMI) categories with elevated galectin-3.
- Cox proportional hazards models evaluated the combined association of galectin-3 and BMI with incident HF.
Main Results:
- Severe obesity (BMI ≥35 kg/m²) was associated with higher odds of elevated galectin-3 compared to normal weight.
- Associations between BMI and galectin-3 were stronger in women and White participants.
- Elevated galectin-3 independently predicted HF risk, and its combination with severe obesity showed a >4-fold increased HF risk.
Conclusions:
- Obesity is strongly associated with elevated galectin-3 levels.
- The combination of obesity and elevated galectin-3 significantly elevates heart failure risk.
- Further research is needed to understand the pathways linking obesity to cardiac inflammation and fibrosis.
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