BACKGROUND

The differences in concentrations of biomarkers between heart failure (HF) patients with a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), or HF-PEF, and patients with HF with reduced LVEF (HF-REF) have yet to be defined. The objectives of this study were to compare the concentrations and correlation of biomarkers of inflammation, extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover and neurohormonal activation between these populations.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional study of 29 subjects with symptomatic HF-REF (LVEF = 25.6 ± 5.1%) and 29 subjects with symptomatic HF-PEF (LVEF = 63.3 ± 5.3%). Concentrations of N-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), procollagen type III amino-terminal peptide (PIIINP), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, and tissue inhibitor of MMP (TIMP)-1 were measured.

RESULTS

Although NT-proBNP and PIIINP concentrations were higher in patients with HF-REF compared with patients with HF-PEF (both P < 0.05), the only significant difference between the groups remaining after adjusting for possible confounding variables was NT-proBNP (P = 0.02). In patients with HF-REF, NT-proBNP correlated with PIIINP (P < 0.05), TIMP-1 (P < 0.05), and MMP-2 (P = 0.002), while PIIINP correlated with TIMP-1 (P < 0.05) and MMP-2 (P < 0.0001). In patients with a HF-PEF, only high sensitivity C-reactive protein correlated significantly with MMP-2 (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with HF-REF or HF-PEF presenting similar symptoms and functional limitations exhibit similar concentrations of biomarkers of ECM and inflammation. However, patients with HF-REF exhibit significantly higher NT-proBNP concentrations than patients with HF-PEF. The differences in the correlations observed between the biomarkers between these 2 populations suggest some heterogeneity and differences in the mechanisms related to the release or clearance of biomarkers in HF-REF vs HF-PEF.