“To categorize HFpEF, researchers are looking for clues from...

“To categorize HFpEF, researchers are looking for clues from multiple systems that support the body’s functions, including genes, proteins, and gut bacteria. They are then pairing that information with a patient’s physical symptoms, their medical history, and cardiac imaging exams to understand how it affects them.For example, using cohorts of the Framingham Heart Study, researchers analyzed 71 proteins from more than 7,000 adults, including nearly 200 who later died from heart failure. Through this analysis, they identified five biomarkers associated with HFpEF, which suggested inflammation, stress to the heart, and a hardening of the heart’s muscles and blood vessels were in play. They also found 14 biomarkers associated with HFrEF that provided insight about inflammation and changes in the heart’s structure. Three were linked to both types.Some of the biomarkers, such as increased levels of natriuretic peptides – hormones secreted from the heart – are used to screen adults for heart failure. The study is now helping explain the role of other biomarkers and how HFpEF differs from HFrEF.“We still have a lot to learn,” said Jennifer E. Ho, M.D., a cardiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

“The group of patients who have heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is very heterogenous,” said Vandana Sachdev, M.D., a senior research clinician at NHLBI. “The goal is to understand the different subtypes of disease and identify treatment targets for each type.” - private public research partnership of NHBLI

Biomarkers are mentioned as important tools in research on personalising heart failure therapies. SI is on the right path in joining hands with someone who has served on one of the task force groups of the organisation - Dr. Kenneth Borow is also the CMO of MediMergent, a healthcare analytics company. The expertise in biomarkers and big data on population health will serve MSB well in its potency assay and MoA work for REVASCOR for heart failure.

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/2022/accelerating-heart-failure-research

NHBLI stands for The National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute.