Objective: To define which oxidative stress markers could be used as diagnostic tools in the assessment of post-infarction heart failure (HF).
Methods: This observational study enrolled patients with HF that were divided into three subgroups (ejection fraction [EF] ≥ 50%; EF 40-49%; EF < 40%) and age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. The plasma concentrations of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, catalase activity and free thiols were determined in all participants.
Results: The study enrolled 81 patients with HF and 68 healthy control subjects. There were significant differences in the values of oxidative stress markers between patients and controls. Oxidative stress parameters did not differ between the subgroups of patients, except for AOPP, which was significantly higher in the EF < 40% group. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed an association between AOPP and HF in the EF ≥ 50% group, while receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis identified a cut-off value of 60.89 µmol/l for AOPP.
Conclusions: Based on the ROC curve analysis of AOPP and the higher significance in the multivariate analyses for patients with EF ≥ 50%, these current results suggest that AOPP could be a useful additional tool in the assessment of post-infarction HF.
Keywords: Post-infarction heart failure; advanced oxidation protein products; ejection fraction; oxidative stress.