Method for identifying a subject at risk of developing heart failure by determining the level of galectin-3 or thrombospondin-2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for identifying a subject at risk of developing hypertensive and organ damage, such as and in particular heart failure, comprising: a) obtaining a biological sample of said subject; b) determining the level of at least one non-myocytal marker in said sample; c) comparing the level of said marker to a standard level; and d) determining whether the level of the marker is indicative of a risk for developing hypertensive end organ damage. The non-myocytical marker preferably is galectin-3 or thrombospondin-2.

1 .- 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method for identifying a subject at risk of progression of heart failure, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) measuring a first level of galectin-3 in a biological sample from a human subject;   b) comparing the first level of galectin-3 to a standard level, wherein the first level of galectin-3 in the biological sample from the human subject is not elevated compared to the standard level;   c) measuring a second level of galectin-3 in a biological sample from the human subject; and   d) comparing the second level of galectin-3 to the standard level, wherein the second level of galectin-3 in the biological sample from the human subject is elevated compared to the standard level, thereby identifying the subject as at risk of progression of heart failure.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising comparing the first level of galectin-3 to the second level of galectin-3. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the human subject has cardiovascular disease. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the human subject does not have clinically apparent heart failure. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the human subject is continuously monitored. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the human subject has cardiac fibrosis. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the human subject has left ventricular hypertrophy. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the biological sample is a serum or plasma sample. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second levels of galectin-3 are measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the measurement of the first level of galectin-3 and the second level of galectin-3 is performed at different times. 
     
     
         23 . A method for monitoring a subject having known heart failure, comprising the steps of:
 a) measuring a first level of galectin-3 in a biological sample from the human subject; and   b) comparing the level of galectin-3 to a standard level, wherein an elevated level of galectin-3 in the sample indicates a higher risk of a major adverse event in the subject relative to a level not exceeding the standard level.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the human subject is continuously monitored. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the human subject has cardiac fibrosis. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , comprising measuring the extent of the cardiac fibrosis. 
     
     
         27 . A method for identifying a subject at risk of progression to heart failure, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) measuring a first level of galectin-3 in a biological sample from a human subject;   b) measuring a second level of galectin-3 in a biological sample from the human subject; and   c) comparing the second level of galectin-3 to the first level of galectin-3, wherein the second level of galectin-3 in the biological sample from the human subject is elevated compared to the first level of galectin-3, thereby identifying the subject as at risk of progression of heart failure.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the subject has cardiac fibrosis. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , comprising the step of quantifying the extent of fibrosis in the subject. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the subject is continuously monitored.