BACKGROUND: Galectin 3 (Gal-3) reflects cardiac fibrosis in heart failure HF, but has also been associated to renal fibrosis and impaired renal function. Previous research has suggested that Gal-3 could be a cardio-renal biomarker, but it has never been tested simultaneous in a single study whether Gal-3 reflects echocardiographic measures, neurohumoral activity and renal function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between plasma concentrations of Gal-3 and neurohumoral activity, myocardial and renal function in patients with HF, including advanced echocardiographic measures and 24-h urinary albumin excretion (albuminuria).

METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 132 patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) referred to an outpatient HF clinic. The patients had a median age of 70 years (interquartile rage: 64-75), 26.5 % were female, median LVEF was 33 % (27-39 %) and 30 % were in NYHA class III-IV.

RESULTS: Patients with plasma concentrations of Gal-3 above the median had significantly lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and this association remained significant in multivariate regression analysis (β: -0.010; 95 % CI -0.012--0.008; P < 0.001), adjusted for age, gender, medical treatment. Plasma concentrations of Gal-3 were not associated with albuminuria (Beta: 0.008; 95 % CI:-0.028-0.045; P = 0.652). There were no association between plasma concentrations of Gal-3 and myocardial function or structure estimated by LVEF, LVmassIndex, LVIDd, E/é or LV global longitudinal strain (P > 0.05 for all). In multivariate analyses plasma concentrations of Gal-3 were significantly associated with the cardiac biomarkers: NT-proBNP (β: 0.047; 95 % CI: 0.008-0.086; P = 0.020), proANP (β: 0.137; 95 % CI: 0.067-0.207; P < 0.001), chromogranin A (β: 0.123; 95 % CI: 0.052-0.194; P < 0.001) and Copeptin (β: 0.080; 95 % CI: 0.000-0.160; P = 0.049). Multivariate analysis was adjusted for eGFR, age, gender and medical treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: Increased plasma concentrations of Gal-3 are associated with reduced eGFR and increased plasma concentrations of NT-proBNP, proANP, chromogranin A and Copeptin, but not with echocardiographic parameters reflecting myocardial function. These results suggest that Gal-3 reflects both increased neurohumoral activity and reduced eGFR, but not myocardial function in patients with systolic HF.