Looking at the heart failure through the prism of liver dysfunction

Sacubitril/valsartan-induced liver injury: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE

Sacubitril/valsartan (Entresto) is the first drug approved for the treatment of symptomatic chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in adult patients. There have been no reports of hepatotoxicity secondary to sacubitril/valsartan administration. Here, we report the first case of severe liver injury caused by sacubitril/valsartan.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 90-year-old female patient taking sacubitril/valsartan was admitted due to chronic heart failure. Subsequently, the patient developed serious liver injury with increased hepatic transaminases.

DIAGNOSIS

Drug-induced liver injury, sacubitril/valsartan-related. No liver injury caused by other reasons was observed after thorough examination. After the withdrawal of sacubitril/valsartan, the liver function of the patient gradually returned to normal.

INTERVENTIONS

We chose general liver protection methods to improve her hepatic function, including magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate at 100 mg daily and polyene phosphatidylcholine capsules at 456 mg 3 times daily. We consulted with a hepatologist to discuss the best plan for her treatment. The last, we stopped sacubitril/valsartan.

OUTCOMES

After the withdrawal of sacubitril/valsartan, the liver function of the patient gradually returned to normal.

LESSONS

Sacubitril/valsartan-induced liver injury is very rare. Clinicians should pay particular attention to the possibility of hepatotoxicity during sacubitril/valsartan treatment.

Hepatorenal dysfunction in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

Background

Cardiac interactions with organs such as the liver or kidneys have been described in different cardiovascular diseases. However, the clinical relevance of hepatorenal dysfunction in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) remains unclear. We determined the association of hepatorenal dysfunction (measured using the Model for End-stage Liver Disease Sodium [MELDNa] score) with right heart function and survival in patients with CTEPH.

Methods

We analyzed all patients with CTEPH in the Giessen Pulmonary Hypertension Registry who had available MELDNa scores and were not taking vitamin K antagonists. The MELDNa score was calculated as MELD score - serum Na - (0.025 * MELD score * (140 - serum Na)) + 140; the MELD score was calculated as 10*(0.957*ln(creatinine)+0.378*ln(bilirubin)+1.12*ln(International Normalized Ratio))+6.43.

Results

Seventy-two patients were included (74% female; median [Q1, Q3] MELDNa: 9 [6, 11]). MELDNa correlated well with right atrial and ventricular function and pulmonary hemodynamics. Forward regression analysis revealed that hepatorenal dysfunction mainly depends on right atrial strain and tricuspid regurgitation, but not right ventricular systolic dysfunction. Hepatorenal dysfunction predicted mortality at baseline and follow-up (adjusted hazard ratios [95% confidence intervals] per unit increase of MELDNa: 1.6 [1.1, 2.4] and 1.8 [1.1, 2.9], respectively). Changes in hepatorenal function also predicted mortality.

Conclusion

Hepatorenal dysfunction in CTEPH is primarily associated with venous congestion rather than cardiac forward failure. As a surrogate parameter for hepatorenal dysfunction, MELDNa is a simple method to identify at-risk patients at baseline and follow-up.

Prognostic value of liver damage assessed through direct bilirubin levels and skeletal muscle weakness in patients with heart failure

BACKGROUND

Patients with heart failure (HF) often exhibit signs of liver dysfunction such as high bilirubin concentrations, leading to physical dysfunction and poor prognosis. Nevertheless, the relationship between direct bilirubin (DB), a fractionated form of total bilirubin, and dynapenia remains unclear, as does their effect on prognosis.

OBJECTIVES

This study investigated the association between DB concentrations and dynapenia in patients with HF.

METHODS

This retrospective study included patients with HF who underwent assessments for DB concentration, and handgrip and leg strengths to evaluate dynapenia and muscle weakness, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analyses examined the associations of DB with muscle strength and dynapenia. Additionally, we examined the prognostic value of comorbid high DB concentrations (≥0.5 mg/dL) and dynapenia. The endpoint was all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

Of 853 inpatients, high DB was identified in 147 and dynapenia in 377 (44.2%). Multiple regression analysis revealed that high DB was independently associated with decreased muscle strength (handgrip strength, P = 0.027; leg strength, P = 0.002). After adjusting for covariates, the high DB group (odds ratio: 1.800, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.203-2.695, P = 0.004) had a significantly higher risk of dynapenia than the low DB group. During the follow-up period, 189 patients died (median, 1.77 years; interquartile range, 0.64-3.81 years). The risk of death was significantly higher in the high DB and dynapenia group, even after adjusting for HF severity (hazard ratio: 2.610, 95% CI: 1.680-4.051, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

High DB is associated with muscle weakness, and when combined with dynapenia, DB predicts a poorer prognosis in patients with HF.

Differences in the Biomarker Profile of De Novo Acute Heart Failure versus Decompensation of Chronic Heart Failure

The perception of acute heart failure (AHF) as a single entity is increasingly outdated, as distinct patient profiles can be discerned. Key heart failure (HF) studies have previously highlighted the difference in both the course and prognosis of de novo AHF and acute decompensated chronic HF (ADHF). Accordingly, distinct AHF profiles with differing underlying pathophysiologies of disease progression can be shown. We compared a range of selected biomarkers in order to better describe the profile of de novo AHF and ADHF, including the inter alia-serum lactate, bilirubin, matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), follistatin, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), lipocalin and galectin-3. The study comprised 248 AHF patients (de novo = 104), who were followed up for one year. The biomarker data of the de novo AHF and ADHF profiles was then compared in order to link biomarkers to their prognosis. Our study demonstrated that, although there are similarities between each patient profile, key biomarker differences do exist-predominantly in terms of NTproBNP, serum lactate, bilirubin, ICAM-1, follistatin, ferritin and sTfR (soluble transferrin receptor). ADHF tended to have compromised organ function and higher risks of both one-year mortality and composite endpoint (one-year mortality or rehospitalization for heart failure) hazard ratios (HR) (95% CI): 3.4 (1.8-6.3) and 2.8 (1.6-4.6), respectively, both p < 0.0001. Among the biomarkers of interest: sTfR HR (95% CI): 1.4 (1.04-1.8), NGAL(log) (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin) HR (95% CI): 2.0 (1.3-3.1) and GDF-15(log) (growth/differentiation factor-15) HR (95% CI): 4.0 (1.2-13.0) significantly impacted the one-year survival, all p < 0.05.

Dipeptidyl peptidase 3, a marker of the antagonist pathway of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in patients with heart failure

Aims

Recently, dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (DPP3) has been discovered as the peptidase responsible for cleavage of angiotensin (1–7) [Ang (1–7)]. Ang (1–7) is part of the angiotensin‐converting enzyme–Ang (1–7)–Mas pathway which is considered to antagonize the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS). Since DPP3 inhibits the counteracting pathway of the RAAS, we hypothesize that DPP3 might be deleterious in the setting of heart failure. However, no data are available on DPP3 in chronic heart failure. We therefore investigated the clinical characteristics and outcome related to elevated DPP3 concentrations in patients with worsening heart failure.

Methods and results

Dipeptidyl peptidase 3 was measured in 2156 serum samples of patients with worsening heart failure using luminometric immunoassay (DPP3‐LIA) by 4TEEN4 Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Hennigsdorf, Germany. Predictors of DPP3 levels were selected using multiple linear regression with stepwise backward selection. Median DPP3 concentration was 11.45 ng/mL with a range from 2.8 to 84.9 ng/mL. Patients with higher DPP3 concentrations had higher renin [78.3 (interquartile range, IQR 26.3–227.7) vs. 120.7 IU/mL (IQR 34.74–338.9), P < 0.001, for Q1–3 vs. Q4] and aldosterone [88 (IQR 44–179) vs. 116 IU/mL (IQR 46–241), P < 0.001, for Q1–3 vs. Q4] concentrations. The strongest independent predictors for higher concentration of DPP3 were log‐alanine aminotransferase, log‐total bilirubin, the absence of diabetes, higher osteopontin, fibroblast growth factor‐23 and N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide concentrations (all P < 0.001). In univariable survival analysis, DPP3 was associated with mortality and the combined endpoint of death or heart failure hospitalization (P < 0.001 for both). After adjustment for confounders, this association was no longer significant.

Conclusions

In patients with worsening heart failure, DPP3 is a marker of more severe disease with higher RAAS activity. It may be deleterious in heart failure by counteracting the Mas receptor pathway. Procizumab, a specific antibody against DPP3, might be a potential future treatment option for patients with heart failure.