Prediction of left ventricular dysfunction progression in patients with a first ST-elevation myocardial infarction – contribution of cystatin C assessment

Association of serum cystatin C levels with myocardial perfusion and cardiac functional recovery in patients with anterior wall ST elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary coronary intervention

This study sought to investigate the association of baseline serum cystatin C levels with myocardial perfusion and cardiac functional recovery in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). 108 patients with a first anterior STEMI who underwent PPCI were enrolled. Serum cystatin C was measured by immunoturbidimetric method. Patients were divided into two groups according to the median cystatin C levels on admission: group 1 (≥median, n = 54) and group 2 (<median, n = 54). Myocardial perfusion was assessed by angiographic criteria, ST-segment resolution, and the index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR). Echocardiographic wall motion score index was analyzed on admission and at 6-month follow-up. Patients with angiographically, electrocardiographically no-reflow had significantly higher cystatin C levels on admission. Patients with an IMR ≥33.7 U also had significantly higher cystatin C levels. The WMSI showed a greater improvement in group 2 than in group 1 and there was a significant negative correlation between improvement of WMSI and the cystatin C levels. There was no significant difference in MACEs between the 2 groups. However, congestive heart failure (CHF) was observed significantly more frequent in group 1 than in group 2 (18.5 vs. 5.6 %, p = 0.022). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that cystatin C levels at admission were a significant independent predictor of angiographic no-reflow and the development of CHF at 6-month follow-up. Elevated cystatin C levels at admission were independently associated with impaired myocardial perfusion, poor cardiac functional recovery and development of CHF in patients with anterior STEMI undergoing PPCI.

Inflammatory markers in ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction

After acute myocardial infarction, ventricular remodeling is characterized by changes at the molecular, structural, geometrical and functional level that determine progression to heart failure. Inflammation plays a key role in wound healing and scar formation, affecting ventricular remodeling. Several, rather different, components of the inflammatory response were studied as biomarkers in ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction. Widely available and inexpensive tests, such as leukocyte count at admission, as well as more sophisticated immunoassays provide powerful predictors of adverse outcome in patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction. We review the value of inflammatory markers in ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction and their association with ventricular remodeling, heart failure and sudden death. In conclusion, the use of these biomarkers may identify subjects at greater risk of adverse events and perhaps provide an insight into the mechanisms of disease progression.

Risk assessment of post-infarction heart failure. Systematic review on the role of emerging biomarkers

The prognostic significance of cardiospecific troponins and natriuretic peptides in patients with myocardial ischemia is well established, and their measurement is now endorsed by the most important guidelines and recommendations for diagnosis and management of heart failure (HF). Additional biomarkers have also been investigated to support clinical judgment and diagnostic imaging in the stratification of risk of cardiac dysfunction in patients with myocardial infarction (MI). We have performed a systematic analysis of the current scientific literature regarding the most important biomarkers of HF, selecting all prospective studies with adequate sample size (i.e. >100 patients) that have assessed, during the early phase of myocardial ischemia, the prognostic value of emergent biomarkers for new-onset HF or deterioration of cardiac function in patients with MI. This analysis has provided some good evidence suggesting that, in most cases, the use of diagnostic biomarkers of cardiac dysfunction does not translate into efficient risk prediction of HF. However, some notable exceptions were found, including biomarkers of cardiac fibrosis (especially galectin-3), growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), osteoprotegerin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and red blood cell distribution width (RDW). Nevertheless, future studies with well-defined characteristics including the use of larger sample sizes, standardized end points, and replication populations, along with benchmark analyses against other consolidated biomarkers (i.e. cardiospecific troponins and natriuretic peptides), should be planned. Such evaluations will help to establish whether an integrated approach including biomarkers of different pathogenetic pathways - for example, apoptosis, stress of cardiomyocytes, cardiac fibrosis, inflammation, and extra-cardiac involvement - may be cost effective for identifying patients at increased risk of developing HF, and who, therefore, may benefit from a tailored therapeutic strategy.