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Advances on Heart Failure: From Circulating Biomarkers to Advanced Theraphies

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2023) | Viewed by 13288

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
Interests: heart failure; biomarker; fibrosis; inflammation; noncoding RNA
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Heart Failure (HF) is a complex syndrome with a huge social burden in terms of cost, morbidity, and mortality.

Biomarker diagnostics in diseases such as myocardial infarction, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and inflammatory conditions have proven to be of substantial help. Biomarkers such as troponins (myocardial ischemia) and NT-proBNP (myocardial wall stress), interleukin-6, and procalcitonin in inflammatory diseases have shown great potential. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) appears to be the gold standard in supporting the daily management of patients with HF. Novel biomarkers may supplement BNP to improve the understanding of this complex disease process and, possibly, to personalize care for the different phenotypes, to ameliorate prognosis. In this Special Issue, we will examine some of the most promising novel biomarkers in HF. Inflammation plays a pivotal role in the genesis and progression of HF and, therefore, several candidate molecules have been investigated in recent years for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy monitoring. Noncoding RNAs are attractive as biomarkers and their potential clinical applications may be feasible in the era of personalized medicine. Given the complex pathophysiology of HF, it is reasonable to expect that the future of biomarkers lies in the application of precision medicine, through wider testing panels and "omics" technologies, to further improve HF care delivery.

Dr. Nadia Aspromonte
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • heart failure
  • novel biomarkers
  • heart failure therapy
  • brain natriuretic peptide
  • prognosis
  • cardiac therapeutic target

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Review

16 pages, 964 KiB  
Review
Measurement of Cardiac-Specific Biomarkers in the Emergency Department: New Insight in Risk Evaluation
by Nadia Aspromonte, Martina Zaninotto, Alberto Aimo, Isabella Fumarulo, Mario Plebani and Aldo Clerico
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(21), 15998; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242115998 - 6 Nov 2023
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Abstract
The aim of this article review is to analyze some models and clinical issues related to the implementation of accelerated diagnostic protocols based on specific cardiac biomarkers in patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) with symptoms compatible with acute cardiac disorders. Four [...] Read more.
The aim of this article review is to analyze some models and clinical issues related to the implementation of accelerated diagnostic protocols based on specific cardiac biomarkers in patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) with symptoms compatible with acute cardiac disorders. Four specific clinical issues will be discussed in detail: (a) pathophysiological and clinical interpretations of circulating hs-cTnI and hs-cTnT levels; (b) the clinical relevance and estimation of the biological variation of biomarkers in patients admitted to the ED with acute and severe diseases; (c) the role and advantages of the point-of-care testing (POCT) methods for cardiac-specific biomarkers in pre-hospital and hospital clinical practice; and (d) the clinical role of specific cardiac biomarkers in patients with acute heart failure (AHF). In order to balance the risk between a hasty discharge versus the potential harms caused by a cardiac assessment in patients admitted to the ED with suspected acute cardiovascular disease, the measurement of specific cardiac biomarkers is essential for the early identification of the presence of myocardial dysfunction and/or injury and to significantly reduce the length and costs of hospitalization. Moreover, specific cardiac biomarkers (especially hs-cTnI and hs-cTnT) are useful predictors of mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients admitted to the ED with suspected acute cardiovascular disease. To guide the implementation of the most rapid algorithms for the diagnosis of Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI) into routine clinical practice, clinical scientific societies and laboratory medicine societies should promote collaborative studies specifically designed for the evaluation of the analytical performance and, especially, the cost/benefit ratio resulting from the use of these clinical protocols and POCT methods in the ED clinical practice. Full article
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13 pages, 1048 KiB  
Review
The Liver in Heart Failure: From Biomarkers to Clinical Risk
by Nadia Aspromonte, Isabella Fumarulo, Lucrezia Petrucci, Bianca Biferali, Antonio Liguori, Antonio Gasbarrini, Massimo Massetti and Luca Miele
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(21), 15665; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242115665 - 27 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2194
Abstract
Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome due to heart dysfunction, but in which other organs are also involved, resulting in a complex multisystemic disease, burdened with high mortality and morbidity. This article focuses on the mutual relationship between the heart and liver [...] Read more.
Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome due to heart dysfunction, but in which other organs are also involved, resulting in a complex multisystemic disease, burdened with high mortality and morbidity. This article focuses on the mutual relationship between the heart and liver in HF patients. Any cause of right heart failure can cause hepatic congestion, with important prognostic significance. We have analyzed the pathophysiology underlying this double interaction. Moreover, we have explored several biomarkers and non-invasive tests (i.e., liver stiffness measurement, LSM) potentially able to provide important support in the management of this complex disease. Cardiac biomarkers have been studied extensively in cardiology as a non-invasive diagnostic and monitoring tool for HF. However, their usefulness in assessing liver congestion in HF patients is still being researched. On the other hand, several prognostic scores based on liver biomarkers in patients with HF have been proposed in recent years, recognizing the important burden that liver involvement has in HF. We also discuss the usefulness of a liver stiffness measurement (LSM), which has been recently proposed as a reliable and non-invasive method for assessing liver congestion in HF patients, with therapeutic and prognostic intentions. Lastly, the relationship between LSM and biomarkers of liver congestion is not clearly defined; more research is necessary to establish the clinical value of biomarkers in assessing liver congestion in HF patients and their relationship with LSM. Full article
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14 pages, 847 KiB  
Review
Natriuretic Peptides: It Is Time for Guided Therapeutic Strategies Based on Their Molecular Mechanisms
by Giovanna Gallo, Speranza Rubattu, Camillo Autore and Massimo Volpe
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5131; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065131 - 7 Mar 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2759
Abstract
Natriuretic peptides (NPs) are the principal expression products of the endocrine function of the heart. They exert several beneficial effects, mostly mediated through guanylate cyclase-A coupled receptors, including natriuresis, diuresis, vasorelaxation, blood volume and blood pressure reduction, and regulation of electrolyte homeostasis. As [...] Read more.
Natriuretic peptides (NPs) are the principal expression products of the endocrine function of the heart. They exert several beneficial effects, mostly mediated through guanylate cyclase-A coupled receptors, including natriuresis, diuresis, vasorelaxation, blood volume and blood pressure reduction, and regulation of electrolyte homeostasis. As a result of their biological functions, NPs counterbalance neurohormonal dysregulation in heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases. NPs have been also validated as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in cardiovascular diseases such as atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, and valvular heart disease, as well as in the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy and severe cardiac remodeling. Serial measurements of their levels may be used to contribute to more accurate risk stratification by identifying patients who are more likely to experience death from cardiovascular causes, heart failure, and cardiac hospitalizations and to guide tailored pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies with the aim to improve clinical outcomes. On these premises, multiple therapeutic strategies based on the biological properties of NPs have been attempted to develop new targeted cardiovascular therapies. Apart from the introduction of the class of angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitors to the current management of heart failure, novel promising molecules including M-atrial natriuretic peptide (a novel atrial NP-based compound) have been tested for the treatment of human hypertension with promising results. Moreover, different therapeutic strategies based on the molecular mechanisms involved in NP regulation and function are under development for the management of heart failure, hypertension, and other cardiovascular conditions. Full article
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26 pages, 1472 KiB  
Review
New Insight in Cardiorenal Syndrome: From Biomarkers to Therapy
by Giovanna Gallo, Oreste Lanza and Carmine Savoia
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5089; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065089 - 7 Mar 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6289
Abstract
Cardiorenal syndrome consists in the coexistence of acute or chronic dysfunction of heart and kidneys resulting in a cascade of feedback mechanisms and causing damage to both organs associated with high morbidity and mortality. In the last few years, different biomarkers have been [...] Read more.
Cardiorenal syndrome consists in the coexistence of acute or chronic dysfunction of heart and kidneys resulting in a cascade of feedback mechanisms and causing damage to both organs associated with high morbidity and mortality. In the last few years, different biomarkers have been investigated with the aim to achieve an early and accurate diagnosis of cardiorenal syndrome, to provide a prognostic role and to guide the development of targeted pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies. In such a context, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, recommended as the first-line choice in the management of heart failure, might represent a promising strategy in the management of cardiorenal syndrome due to their efficacy in reducing both cardiac and renal outcomes. In this review, we will discuss the current knowledge on the pathophysiology of cardiorenal syndrome in adults, as well as the utility of biomarkers in cardiac and kidney dysfunction and potential insights into novel therapeutics. Full article
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