Plasma levels of alpha-1-antichymotrypsin are elevated in patients with chronic heart failure, but are of limited prognostic value

S.I. Lok*, D.J. Lok, P. van der Weide, B. Winkens, P.W. Bruggink-André de la Porte, P.A. Doevendans, R.A. de Weger, P. van der Meer, N. de Jonge

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background There is increasing interest in utilising novel markers of cardiovascular disease risk in patients with chronic heart failure (HF). Recently, it was shown that alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (ACT), an acute-phase protein and major inhibitor of cathpesin G, plays a role in the pathophysiology of HF and may serve as a marker for myocardial distress. Objective To assess whether ACT is independently associated with long-term mortality in chronic HF patients. Methods ACT plasma levels were categorised into quartiles. Survival times were analysed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression, without and with correction for clinically relevant risk factors, including sex, age, duration of HF, kidney function (MDRD), ischaemic HF aetiology and NT-proBNP. Results Twenty healthy individuals and 224 patients (mean age 71 years, 72 % male, median HF duration 1.6 years) with chronic HF were included. In total, 159 (71 %) patients died. The median survival time was 5.3 (95 % CI 4.5-6.1) years. ACT was significantly elevated in patients (median 433 mu g/ml, IQR 279-680) in comparison with controls (median 214 mu g/ml, IQR 166-271; p
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)391-395
JournalNetherlands Heart Journal
Volume22
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2014

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