Prognostic Value of Plasma Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin for Mortality in Patients With Heart Failure

• Background In patients with heart failure, renal dysfunction is associated with a poor outcome. We aimed to assess the prognostic value of plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), a novel marker of renal tubular damage, in patients with heart failure with or without renal dysfunction, and compare it with 2 frequently used biomarkers of chronic kidney disease. Methods and Results Plasma NGAL, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and cystatin C were assessed in 562 patients with heart failure. Chronic kidney disease was defined as eGFRless than60 mL/min per 1.73 m(2). Outcome was all-cause mortality at 36 months. Mean age was 7111 years, 61% were men, and 97% were in New York Heart Association functional class II/III. Mean baseline eGFR was 54 +/- 20 mL/min per 1.73 m(2), mean cystatin C was 11.2 (7.7-16.2) mg/L, and median plasma NGAL was 85 (60-123) ng/mL. Higher plasma NGAL levels were independently associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, in patients with and without chronic kidney disease (hazard ratio [per SD increase in log NGAL]=1.45 [1.22-1.72]; Pless than0.001 and hazard ratio=1.51 [1.06-2.16]; P=0.023, respectively). Similarly, both in patients with high and low cystatin C (median cut-off), higher plasma NGAL levels were independently associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Moreover, when NGAL was entered in the multivariable risk prediction model, eGFR (P=0.616) and cystatin C (P=0.937) were no longer associated with mortality. Conclusions Plasma NGAL predicts mortality in patients with heart failure, both in patients with and without chronic kidney disease and is a stronger predictor for mortality than the established renal function indices eGFR and cystatin C.

Keyword

heart failure; NGAL protein; human; prognosis

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