Biomarker prognostication across Universal Definition of Heart Failure stages

The Universal Definition of Heart Failure (UDHF) provides a framework for staging risk for HF events. It is not clear whether prognostic biomarkers have different meaning across UDHF stages. We sought to evaluate performance of biomarkers to predict HF events among high-risk patients undergoing coronary and/or peripheral angiography categorized into UDHF stages.

One thousand two hundred thirty-five individuals underwent coronary and/or peripheral angiography were enrolled. Study participants were categorized into UDHF Stage A (at risk), Stage B (pre-HF), and Stage C or D (HF, including end stage) and grouped into Stage A/B and C/D. Biomarkers and clinical variables were used to develop prognostic models. Other measures examined included total HF hospitalizations.

Over a median of 3.67 years of follow-up, 155 cardiovascular (CV) deaths occurred, and 299 patients were hospitalized with acute HF. In patients with Stage A/B, galectin-3 (HR = 1.52, P = 0.03), endothelin-1 (HR = 2.16, P = 0.001), and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP; HR = 1.43, P < 0.001) were associated with incident CV death/HF hospitalization. In Stage C/D, NT-proBNP (HR = 1.26, P = 0.006), soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR; HR = 1.57, P = 0.007) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP; HR = 1.15, P = 0.01) were associated with these outcomes. Higher biomarker concentrations were associated with greater total burden of HF events in Stages A/B and C/D.

Among higher risk individuals undergoing angiographic procedures, different biomarkers improve risk stratification in different UDHF stages of HF. More precise prognostication may offer a window of opportunity to initiate targeted preventive measures.