Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) with non-reduced left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) present a diagnostic overlap. In this paper, we analyze differences in biomarkers between patients with and without HF, in a cohort of patients presenting with symptomatic AF. Differences in biomarkers between patients with medium range ejection fraction HF (HFmrEF) and those with preserved ejection fraction HF (HFpEF) are also analyzed.
Methods: A total of 115 patients with symptomatic persistent AF were included. Seven biomarkers were measured: NT-proBNP, high sensitivity T troponin (hsTNT), galectin-3, ST2, fibrinogen, urate and C-reactive protein.
Results: Patients with non-reduced LVEF HF had significantly higher NT-proBNP levels than those without HF. This biomarker was the only variable independently related with the presence of non-reduced LVEF HF. Troponin was the only factor independently related with the presence of HFmrEF.
Conclusions: NT-proBNP showed the best diagnostic accuracy for detecting the presence of non-reduced LVEF HF. We found higher diagnostic NT-proBNP cut-off values than those previously reported. Troponin was the most accurate biomarker differentiating HFmrEF from HFpEF.
Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Biomarkers; Diastolic heart failure; Galectin 3; Nt proBNP.
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