C-Reactive Protein and N-Terminal Pro-brain Natriuretic Peptide Levels Correlate With Impaired Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Patients With Heart Failure Across a Wide Range of Ejection Fraction

• Published in: Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine 2018-12, Vol.5, p.178-178
• Main Authors: van Wezenbeek, Jessie, Canada, Justin M, Ravindra, Krishna, Carbone, Salvatore, Trankle, Cory R, Kadariya, Dinesh, Buckley, Leo F, Del Buono, Marco, Billingsley, Hayley, Viscusi, Michele, Wohlford, George F, Arena, Ross, Van Tassell, Benjamin, Abbate, Antonio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: biomarker; cardiopulmonary exercise testing; cardiorespiratory fitness; Cardiovascular Medicine; heart failure; myocardial strain; systemic inflammation
• ISSN: 2297-055X; 2297-055X
• DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2018.00178

Impaired cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a hallmark of heart failure (HF). Serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a systemic inflammatory marker, and of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a biomarker of myocardial strain, independently predict adverse outcomes in HF patients. Whether CRP and/or NT-proBNP also predict the degree of CRF impairment in HF patients across a wide range of ejection fraction is not yet established. Using retrospective analysis, 200 patients with symptomatic HF who completed one or more treadmill cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPX) using a symptom-limited ramp protocol and had paired measurements of serum high-sensitivity CRP and NT-proBNP on the same day were evaluated. Univariate and multivariate correlations were evaluated with linear regression after logarithmic transformation of CRP (log ) and NT-proBNP (log ). Mean age of patients was 57 ± 10 years and 55% were male. Median CRP levels were 3.7 [1.5-9.0] mg/L, and NT-proBNP levels were 377 [106-1,464] pg/ml, respectively. Mean peak oxygen consumption (peak VO ) was 16 ± 4 mlO •kg •min . CRP levels significantly correlated with peakVO in all patients ( = -0.350, < 0.001) and also separately in the subgroup of patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (HFrEF, = 109) ( = -0.282, < 0.001) and in those with preserved EF (HFpEF, = 57) ( = -0.459, < 0.001). NT-proBNP levels also significantly correlated with peak VO in all patients ( = -0.330, < 0.001) and separately in patients with HFrEF ( = -0.342, < 0.001) and HFpEF ( = -0.275, = 0.032). CRP and NT-proBNP did not correlate with each other ( = 0.05, = 0.426), but independently predicted peak VO ( = 0.421, < 0.001 and < 0.001, respectively). Biomarkers of inflammation and myocardial strain independently predict peak VO in HF patients. Anti-inflammatory therapies and therapies alleviating myocardial strain may independently improve CRF in HF patients across a large spectrum of LVEF.