Changes in Laminin in Acute Heart Failure

Laminin is a major component of the basement membrane of cardiomyocytes and has been found at a high level in patients with heart failure. However, detailed information on the relationship between disease management and progression in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) remains lacking. We focused on the levels of laminin (LN) before and after admission to the hospital in AHF patients. One hundred twelve AHF patients who were hospitalized in the Affiliated Hospital 2 of Nantong University from January 2020 to February 2021 were selected as the main subjects of the study. The control group consisted of 137 hospitalized patients in New York Heart Association (NYHA) classes I-II during the same time period. Serum laminin levels were measured at baseline in all patients. Besides, laminin levels of AHF patients were measured again 1 week after admission. The serum laminin levels at admission were significantly higher in AHF patients than those in the patients of NYHA classes I-II [73.79 (41.04, 129.75) ng/mL versus 27.98 (20.75, 37.49) ng/mL, respectively, P < 0.001]. After 1 week of treatment, laminin levels in AHF patients were 41.56 (27.92, 78.67) ng/mL, which was significantly lower than before treatment (Z = -6.357, P < 0.001). Bivariate linear correlation analysis showed that LN was associated with NT-proBNP both in the acute phase and after treatment. Laminin levels were significantly higher in AHF patients who had atrial fibrillation (AF) than in those without AF. As a result, we speculated that laminin reflected improved heart function and the occurrence of myocardial fibrosis.