Value of Placental Growth Factor as a Predictor of Adverse Events During the Acute Phase of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Few biomarkers, even B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), can predict the long-term outcome in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) on the first day of admission. Placental growth factor (PlGF), a member of the vascular endothelial growth factor family of cytokines, is a key molecule in cardiorenal syndrome and a predictor of adverse events in chronic kidney disease patients. However, its significance in ADHF patients remains poorly understood.

PlGF on the first day of admission was significantly associated with both all-cause and CV death, suggesting that it provides novel prognostic information in the acute phase of ADHF.

We studied 408 ADHF patients admitted between April 2011 and December 2016 by measuring their PlGF levels on the first day of admission. Primary endpoints were all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) death. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to PlGF quartiles. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the high PlGF group (quartile 4: ≥12.6 pg/mL) had a worse prognosis than the low PlGF group (quartiles 1-3; <12.6 pg/mL) in terms of all-cause (hazard ratio [HR], 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-2.14; P<0.01) and CV death (HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.04-2.66; P<0.05). After adjustment for covariates, PlGF remained an independent predictor of all-cause and CV death. Conclusions: PlGF on the first day of admission was significantly associated with both all-cause and CV death, suggesting that it provides novel prognostic information in the acute phase of ADHF.