Galectin-3 can predict CVD risk in diabetes patients: ESC 2020
Spain: Plasma levels of galectin-3 can help in the prediction of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) suggests a recent study presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2020. The study found that In coronary artery disease (CAD) patients, cardiovascular events are predicted by plasma levels of galectin-3 in patients with T2D, and by MCP-1 and NT-proBNP in those without T2D.
Type 2 diabetes can lead to early and severe atherosclerosis. However, only a few biomarkers can predict cardiovascular events in this group of patients. A Lorenzo-Almoros, Fundacion Jimenez Diaz University Hospital, Internal Medicine - Madrid - Spain, and colleagues followed 964 patients with coronary artery disease. They assessed baseline galectin-3, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and N-terminal fragment of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) plasma levels in them. The primary was the combination of the secondary outcomes. Secondary outcomes were acute ischemia and heart failure or death.
The percentage of male patients were 75 in T2D and 76.6 in the non-T2D group. Age was 61.0 and 60.0 years, respectively. 232 patients had T2DM. The patients were followed up for a median of 5.39 years.
Key findings of the study include:
- Patients with T2DM showed higher MCP-1 [144 vs. 133 pg/ml] and galectin-3 [8.3 vs. 7.8 ng/ml] levels.
- Galectin-3 levels were associated with increased risk of the primary outcome in T2D patients [HR 1.57], along with a history of cerebrovascular events.
- Treatment with clopidogrel was associated with lower risk.
- NT-proBNP and MCP-1, but not galectin-3, were related to increased risk of the event in non-diabetic patients [HR 1.21 and HR 1.23 respectively], along with male sex and age.
- Galectin-3 was also the only biomarker that predicted the development of acute ischemic events and heart failure or death in T2D patients, while in non-diabetics MCP-1 and NT-proBNP, respectively, predicted these events.
"In CAD patients, cardiovascular events are predicted by galectin-3 plasma levels in patients with T2DM, and by MCP-1 and NT-proBNP in those without T2DM," concluded the authors.
"Galectin-3 predicts cardiovascular events in patients with type-2 diabetes," was presented at the ESC Congress 2020.
