Use of biomarkers in the assessment of the early transition from arterial hypertension to heart failure

摘要

The present invention relates to a method of diagnosing functional and/or structural abnormalities of the heart preceding heart failure, in a subject bearing risk factors of developing heart failure, the method comprising the steps of a) measuring in a sample obtained from the individual the concentration of at least one cardiac troponin, b) optionally measuring in the sample the concentration of one or more other marker(s) of heart failure, and c) assessing functional and/or a structural abnormalities by comparing the concentration determined in step (a) and optionally the concentration(s) determined in step (b) to the concentration of this marker or these markers as established in a control sample. The present invention also relates to a method of predicting the risk of a subject bearing risk factors of developing heart failure, to suffer from heart failure, the method comprising the steps of a) measuring in a sample obtained from the individual the concentration of at least one cardiac troponin, b) optionally measuring in the sample the concentration of one or more other marker(s) of heart failure, and c) predicting the risk of the subjects to suffer from heart failure by comparing the concentration determined in step (a) and optionally the concentration(s) determined in step (b) to the concentration of this marker or these markers as established in a control sample. The method, further characterized in that said one or more other marker is selected from the group consisting of a cardiac troponin marker, GDF 15 and insulin growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the subject suffers from left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. The present invention also relates to a method of deciding on the treatment of a subject bearing risk factors of developing heart failure and a method of monitoring the treatment. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, at least one further marker selected from: a cardiac troponin, GDF15 and IGFBP7. The present invention further relates to a method of monitoring treatment of functional and/or structural abnormalities of the heart preceding heart failure in a subject, the method comprising the steps of a) repeatedly determining, within given time intervals, the concentration of at least one cardiac troponin in at least one sample of said subject, b) optionally measuring in the sample the concentration of one or more other marker(s) of heart failure, and c) comparing the concentration determined in step (a) and optionally the concentration(s) determined in step (b) to the concentration of this marker or these markers as established in a control sample, and c) assessing, based on the differences in the determined concentrations in one or more of the above-cited markers, whether the subject has undergone a change in its pathophysiological state.