Can the Presence of Atrial Fibrillation Influences the Levels of Heart Failure - Specific Biomarkers in Overweight and Obese Patients with Heart Failure?

Heart failure continues to be a major worldwide medical issue, associated with high morbidity and mortality. The need for ideal biomarkers to aid the diagnosis and prognosis in certain situations, such as obesity or atrial fibrillation is still ongoing. Obese patients are commonly hyperleptinemic. The aim of the study is to assess the role of several biomarkers in overweight and obese patients diagnosed with heart failure, depending on the presence or absence of atrial fibrillation and also their relationship with leptin. The study included 88 overweight and obese patients, with a body mass index (BMI) >= 25 kg/m(2), admitted for worsening heart failure. Of these, 52.2% had atrial fibrillation. Dosage of NT-proBNP was performed using the chemiluminescence method, MR-proANP galectin-3 and leptin were dosed using the ELISA method, A value of P < 0.05 was defined as statistically significant. The values of natriuretic peptides NT-proBNP and MR-proANP were significantly increased. Only NT-proBNP was significantly influenced by renal function. No statistically significant correlation was found between heart failure-specific biomarkers and leptin secretion. There were no significant differences in the biomarkers levels between the 2 groups of patients. No statistically significant correlation was found between heart failure-specific biomarkers and leptin secretion. Obese patients with heart failure had significantly increased values of all the studied parameters, but the presence of atrial fibrillation did not influence their levels. High leptin levels were not directly correlated with the levels of heart failure-specific biomarkers.