Diagnostic Value of Serum Concentration of Galectin-3 in Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

BACKGROUND: Although the predictive value of galectin-3 for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction has been demonstrated, the diagnostic value remains unclear. The present study was performed to address this issue. HYPOTHESIS: Galectin-3 has diagnostic value for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. METHODS: This is a diagnostic experiment. We conducted an observational study of 223 patients with combined symptoms of heart failure and diseases that can lead to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Patients were grouped into the heart failure group and control group in accordance with the 2016 European Society of Cardiology heart failure guidelines for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Baseline information and serum galectin-3 concentration were assessed within 24 h after admission. RESULTS: Serum galectin-3 concentration was significantly higher in the heart failure group compared with the control group. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that higher galectin-3 concentration was associated with the occurrence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The area under the curve of galectin-3 was 0.763, indicating that galectin-3 has moderate diagnostic value for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Galectin-3 >15.974 ng/mL identified heart failure with preserved ejection fraction with 76.0% sensitivity and 71.9% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: There was a correlation between galectin-3 and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and galectin-3 was an independent predictor of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The diagnostic value of galectin-3 for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction was moderate (AUC: 0.763, 95% CI: 0.696–0.821, P < 0.01, and the sensitivity is 76.0% while the specificity is 71.9% at the threshold 15.974 ng/mL) and was higher than that of interventricular septal thickness or E/A ratio.