Novel inflammatory biomarkers may predict development of incident heart failure

The researchers used principal component analysis to classify incident heart failure associated risk factors and biomarkers into components that could possibly be linked to different courses of the disease. Four of these components were statistically significant for the development of incident heart failure. Three of the components contained a different inflammatory biomarker and one contained cell energy metabolites.

"Incident heart failure is typically associated with changes in heart metabolism as well as with low-grade, chronic inflammation. Based on our study, these changes are present even years before any sign of heart failure," Professor Johanna Kuusisto from the University of Eastern Finland says.

Earlier studies conducted in animal models have shown that disturbed metabolism of the heart muscle precedes, initiates and maintains unfavourable changes in the heart. However, the newly published study is the first to show that biomarkers of energy metabolism predict the development of incident heart failure in humans.

By measuring biomarkers indicative of heart failure, it could be possible to better identify people with an elevated risk of developing incident heart failure.

"Despite the treatments we have today, the prognosis of incident heart failure is still very poor, and this is why it is important to identify and treat high-risk patients already before the disease develops," Professor Kuusisto says.

Further research is needed to analyse whether drugs targeting inflammatory and metabolic pathways could be used to prevent the development of incident heart failure.