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Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 and Risk of Heart Failure Subtype: The CRIC (Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort) Study
Alexander S Leidner1, Xuan Cai1, Leila R Zelnick2
1Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.
Insights
Elevated fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) levels are linked to increased heart failure (HF) risk in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. This association holds true across all HF subtypes, suggesting FGF23 as a potential therapeutic target.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) is a major cause of death in chronic kidney disease (CKD).
- Elevated fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is implicated in HF pathogenesis in CKD.
- The association between FGF23 and HF risk across different HF subtypes in CKD remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if the relationship between elevated FGF23 and HF risk in CKD patients varies by HF subtype.
- To analyze the association of FGF23 with HF subtypes: HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), and HF with unknown ejection fraction (HFuEF).
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study of 3,502 participants from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort study.
- Baseline plasma FGF23 levels were measured as the exposure.
- Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models and Lunn-McNeil methods were used to assess associations between FGF23 and HF subtypes.
Main Results:
- Over 10.8 years, 295 HFpEF, 242 HFrEF, and 156 HFuEF hospitalizations occurred.
- Elevated FGF23 was significantly associated with increased risk for all HF subtypes (HFpEF, HFrEF, HFuEF).
- The risk association for FGF23 was consistent across all HF subtypes, with higher FGF23 levels correlating with increased total HF events.
Conclusions:
- Elevated FGF23 levels are associated with increased risks for all HF subtypes in individuals with CKD.
- FGF23 may represent a common pathway in the development of different HF types in CKD.
- Further research into FGF23 as a therapeutic target for preventing HF in CKD is warranted.
Rationale & Objective:
Heart failure (HF) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). A large body of evidence from preclinical and clinical studies implicates excess levels of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) in HF pathogenesis in CKD. It remains unclear whether the relationship between elevated FGF23 levels and HF risk among individuals with CKD varies by HF subtype.
Study Design:
Prospective cohort study.
Settings & Participants:
A total of 3,502 participants were selected in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort study.
Exposure:
Baseline plasma FGF23.
Outcomes:
Incident HF by subtype and total rate of HF hospitalization. HF was categorized as HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF, ejection fraction [EF] ≥ 50%), HF with reduced EF (HFrEF, EF < 50%) and HF with unknown EF (HFuEF).
Analytical Approach:
Multivariable-adjusted cause-specific Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate associations between FGF23 and incident hospitalizations for HF by subtype. The Lunn-McNeil method was used to compare hazard ratios across HF subtypes. Poisson regression models were used to evaluate the total rate of HF.
Results:
During a median follow-up time of 10.8 years, 295 HFpEF, 242 HFrEF, and 156 HFuEF hospitalizations occurred. In multivariable-adjusted cause-specific Cox proportional hazards models, FGF23 was significantly associated with the incidence of HFpEF (HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.21-1.64), HFrEF (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.05-1.53), and HFuEF (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.13-1.73) per 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in the natural log of FGF23. The Lunn-McNeil method determined that the risk association was consistent across all subtypes. The rate ratio of total HF events increased with FGF23 quartile. In multivariable-adjusted models, compared with quartile 1, FGF23 quartile 4 had a rate ratio of 1.81 (95% CI, 1.28-2.57) for total HF events.
Limitations:
Self-report of HF hospitalizations and possible lack of an echocardiogram at time of hospitalization.
Conclusions:
In this large multicenter prospective cohort study, elevated FGF23 levels were associated with increased risks for all HF subtypes.
Plain-Language Summary:
Heart failure (HF) is a prominent cause of morbidity and mortality in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Identifying potential pathways in the development of HF is essential in developing therapies to prevent and treat HF. In a large cohort of individuals with CKD, the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (N = 3,502), baseline fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23), a hormone that regulates phosphorous, was evaluated in relation to the development of incident and recurrent HF with reduced, preserved, and unknown ejection fraction. In this large multicenter prospective cohort study, elevated FGF23 levels were associated with increased risk of all HF subtypes. These findings demonstrate the need for further research into FGF23 as a target in preventing the development of HF in individuals with CKD.
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