Aldosterone, Galectin-3, and NTproBNP Levels and their Values as Biomarkers in Infants with Ventricular Septal Defect

OBJECTIVE
Galectin-3 is a biomarker used to detect cardiac remodeling and fibrosis. It could also potentially be a biomarker of treatments that could be developed. Aldosterone and galectin-3 levels and their relationship to N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and left ventricular dilatation have not yet been studied in infants with ventricular septal defect (VSD). This study, it was aimed to investigate the biomarker feature of galectin-3 in infants with VSD.

METHODS
Aldosterone, galectin-3, and NT-ProBNP levels were quantified, and left ventricular diameters were measured by M mode echocardiography in infants with isolated VSD who received heart failure treatment. The results were compared with those of healthy children of similar age and gender.

RESULTS
This study included 22 infants (13 girls, 9 boys) with VSD who formed the patient group and 22 healthy infants (13 girls, 9 boys) who formed the control group. There was a significant difference between the two groups regarding the median left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, and the median left ventricular end-systole diameter. The patient and control groups had no significant difference with respect to aldosterone levels (median values: 43.5 pg/ml vs 41.3 pg/ml, respectively) (p=0.851) although there was a significant difference with regard to galectin-3 levels (median values: 4 vs 2.5 ng/ml, respectively) (p=0.015) and NT-proBNP levels (median values: 204.3 vs 94.2 pg/ml, respectively) (p=0.003).

CONCLUSION
Galectin-3 increases independently of left ventricular dilatation and may have a biomarker value with similar strength as NT-proBNP in infants with VSD.