Galectin-3 in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. A RELAX trial substudy (Phosphodiesterase-5 Inhibition to Improve Clinical Status and Exercise Capacity in Diastolic Heart Failure).

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

This study hypothesized that elevated galectin-3 (Gal-3) levels would identify patients with more advanced heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) as assessed by key pathophysiological domains.

BACKGROUND:

Gal-3 is implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiac fibrosis but is also increased with normal aging and renal dysfunction. Cardiac fibrosis may contribute to cardiac dysfunction, exercise intolerance, and congestion in HFpEF.

METHODS:

Two hundred eight patients from the RELAX (Phosphodiesterase-5 Inhibition to Improve Clinical Status and Exercise Capacity in Diastolic Heart Failure) trial of sildenafil in HFpEF had Gal-3 measured at enrollment. Pathophysiological domains assessed included biomarkers of neurohumoral activation, fibrosis, inflammation and myocardial necrosis, congestion severity and quality of life, cardiac structure and function, and exercise performance. Analysis adjusted for age, sex, and/or cystatin-C levels. Potential interaction between baseline Gal-3 and treatment (sildenafil) effect on the RELAX study primary endpoint (change in peak oxygen consumption) was tested.

RESULTS:

Gal-3 levels were associated with age and severity of renal dysfunction. Adjusting for age, sex, and/or cystatin-C, Gal-3 was not associated with biomarkers of neurohumoral activation, fibrosis, inflammation or myocardial necrosis, congestion or quality-of-life impairment, cardiac remodeling or dysfunction, or exercise intolerance. Gal-3 did not identify patients who responded to phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitors (interaction p = 0.53).

CONCLUSIONS:

In overt HFpEF, Gal-3 was related to severity of renal dysfunction and accounting for this, was not independently associated with severity of pathophysiological derangements or response PDE-5 inhibition. These findings underscore the need to adjust for renal function when interpreting Gal-3 levels, and call into question the value of Gal-3 to quantify disease severity in overt HFpEF.

• Authors: Omar F AbouEzzeddine, Phillip Haines, Susanna Stevens, Jose Nativi-Nicolau, G Michael Felker, Barry A Borlaug, Horng H Chen, Russell P Tracy, Eugene Braunwald, Margaret M Redfield
• Journal: JACC. Heart failure (JACC Heart Fail) Vol. 3 Issue 3 Pg. 245-52 (Mar 2015) ISSN: 2213-1787 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 25742762 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Galectin 3
• Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors

Topics

• Aged
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Exercise Tolerance (drug effects, physiology)
• Female
• Galectin 3 (blood)
• Heart Failure, Diastolic (blood, drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors (therapeutic use)
• Quality of Life
• Stroke Volume (drug effects, physiology)
• Ventricular Function, Left (drug effects, physiology)