Gender-Related Differences in Heart Failure Biomarkers

Important differences in comorbidities and clinical characteristics exist between women and men with heart failure (HF). In particular, differences in the kinetics of biological circulating biomarkers-a critical component of cardiovascular care-are highly relevant. Most circulating HF biomarkers are...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Cediel, Germán|||0000-0001-9667-7507, Codina, Pau|||0000-0002-2469-5711, Spitaleri, Giosafat|||0000-0002-0214-9082, Domingo, Mar|||0000-0002-2935-1272, Santiago Vacas, Evelyn|||0000-0001-7511-406X, Lupón, Josep|||0000-0002-5601-9611, Bayés-Genís, Antoni|||0000-0002-3044-197X
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:235967
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/235967
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.3389/fcvm.2020.617705
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Biomarker
Heart failure
Gender
Troponin
Natriuretic peptide
ST2
Galectine-3
Descripción
Sumario:Important differences in comorbidities and clinical characteristics exist between women and men with heart failure (HF). In particular, differences in the kinetics of biological circulating biomarkers-a critical component of cardiovascular care-are highly relevant. Most circulating HF biomarkers are assessed daily by clinicians without taking sex into account, despite the multiple gender-related differences observed in plasma concentrations. Even in health, compared to men, women tend to exhibit higher levels of natriuretic peptides and galectin-3 and lower levels of cardiac troponins and the cardiac stress marker, soluble ST2. Many biological factors can provide a reliable explanation for these differences, like body composition, fat distribution, or menopausal status. Notwithstanding, these sex-specific differences in biomarker levels do not reflect different pathobiological mechanisms in HF between women and men, and they do not necessarily imply a need to use different diagnostic cut-off levels in clinical practice. To date, the sex-specific prognostic value of HF biomarkers for risk stratification is an unresolved issue that future research must elucidate. This review outlines current evidence regarding gender-related differences in circulating biomarkers widely used in HF, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these differences, and their clinical relevance.