Galectin-3 as a Prognostic Biomarker in Patients with First Acute Myocardial Infarction without Heart Failure

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Biomarker Discovery
• Clinical Prognostics

Background:

• Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is implicated in cardiac remodeling post-acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
• Prognostic markers are crucial for improving survival and quality of life in AMI patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate Galectin-3 (Gal-3) plasma concentration as a prognostic biomarker in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
• To assess the predictive value of Gal-3 for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) within six months post-AMI.

Main Methods:

• Included 59 patients with AMI and preserved ejection fraction.
• Measured Gal-3 plasma concentration within 24 hours of chest pain onset from multiple sites (aortic root, femoral/radial artery, coronary sinus, cubital vein).
• Evaluated Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE) at six-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• Twenty patients (34%) experienced MACE at six months post-AMI.
• Aortic root and femoral/radial artery Gal-3 concentrations independently predicted six-month MACE.
• Aortic root Gal-3 concentration (cut-off ≥ 10.86 ng/mL) showed superior predictive value for MACE or death (AUC 0.858) compared to femoral/radial artery measurements.

Conclusions:

• Galectin-3 plasma concentration, particularly from the aortic root, measured during coronary angiography within 24 hours of chest pain onset, is a valuable prognostic biomarker in AMI patients.
• This finding aids in identifying patients at higher risk for adverse cardiovascular events within six months post-AMI.