Association of Redox State of Human Serum Albumin with Severity in Patients with Heart Failure

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the progression of heart failure (HF). We surveyed the fraction of human mercaptalbumin [f (HMA) ], an indicator of the redox state of human serum albumin (HSA), in patients with HF and examined whether f (HMA) is associated with the severity of HF.We enrolled consecutive elderly patients hospitalized for acute HF or exacerbation of HF. The redox state of HSA was measured by the high-performance liquid chromatography with postcolumn bromocresol green method using serum samples collected close to discharge. First, the distribution of f (HMA) in HF was compared to that in community-dwelling elderly individuals (n = 125; median age, 80 years) as a control group analyzed in a previous study. Overall, 133 patients (median age, 81 years; 75 men) were included. Patients with HF showed a lower level of f (HMA) than those of the control group (55.0% [IQR 47.7-61.3] versus 66.3% [IQR 62.8-70.0], P < 0.001]. Multiple regression analysis showed a negative correlation between f (HMA) and log-transformed B-type natriuretic peptide (standardized beta = -0.19).Patients with HF showed lower f (HMA) than those in the control group. Additionally, f (HMA) was related to HF independently with log-transformed B-type natriuretic peptide in the multivariate regression analysis, suggesting that f (HMA) is a biomarker that reflects the redox state in HF patients.