Exploration of the Potential Biomarker FNDC5 for Discriminating Heart Failure in Patients with Coronary Atherosclerosis

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Biomarker Discovery
• Atherosclerosis Research

Background:

• Coronary atherosclerosis is a primary cause of ischemic heart disease and subsequent heart failure (HF).
• Identifying reliable biomarkers for early HF detection in atherosclerotic patients is crucial for timely intervention.
• Current diagnostic methods may require enhancement for precise HF discrimination in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate novel biomarkers for differentiating heart failure (HF) in patients diagnosed with coronary atherosclerosis.
• To assess the potential of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), fibronectin type III domain containing 5 (FNDC5), and Phosphodiesterase 9A (PDE9A) as HF discriminators.
• To evaluate the correlation and diagnostic value of these biomarkers in atherosclerotic individuals with and without HF.

Main Methods:

• Study included 40 consecutive atherosclerotic patients undergoing angiography.
• Assessed serum concentrations of BNP, FNDC5, and PDE9A in 20 HF patients and 20 non-HF controls.
• Employed Pearson correlation and Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis to evaluate biomarker performance.

Main Results:

• Elevated circulating BNP levels were observed in atherosclerotic patients with HF symptoms/signs.
• Reduced FNDC5 levels were detected in atherosclerotic patients presenting with HF symptoms/signs.
• Pearson correlation revealed a significant association between FNDC5 and BNP; ROC analysis confirmed their ability to discriminate HF.

Conclusions:

• FNDC5 and BNP show independent value as biomarkers for discriminating heart failure in patients with coronary atherosclerosis.
• The combined assessment of FNDC5 and BNP may improve HF diagnosis accuracy in this cohort.
• Further research into FNDC5's role in HF pathogenesis within atherosclerotic disease is warranted.