The Galectin-3 Comparison in NSTEMI and STEMI Patients at Dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital

A common cardiovascular ailment called Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is characterized by plaque buildup in the coronary arteries, leading to impaired blood circulation to the myocardium. Plaque deposits have the potential to occlude the lumen of the coronary arteries partially, and in certain cases, they can lead to complete occlusion. To differentiate between the two conditions, it is imperative to conduct an electrocardiogram (ECG) and assess cardiac biomarkers. Galectin-3, a protein with a molecular weight ranging from 29 to 35 kilodaltons, is among the biomarkers that have been extensively investigated. The expression of messenger RNA for Galectin-3 can be observed within a time frame of 30 minutes following the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction. It reaches its highest level at 24 hours and remains detectable for a duration of up to 14 days. This study aimed to compare the analysis of the Galectin-3 levels in patients diagnosed with STEMI versus NSTEMI. The present study used a cross-sectional research design. A cohort of 70 samples was categorized into two distinct categories, including STEMI and NSTEMI. Exclusion criteria were applied to eliminate patients with jaundice, infections, sepsis, liver cirrhosis, and malignancy. The Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method was utilized to assess the serum levels of Galectin-3. The statistical tests employed in the study included the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, the Mann-Whitney test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test. It is considered statistically significant at p-value <0.05. The patients' average age was 58.8±9.8 years, while the Galectin-3 value ranged from 2.13 to 65.54 ng/mL, with an average value of 20.41±15.66 ng/mL. Patients with Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI) had a Galectin-3 level of 20.26 ng/mL, which was lower than the concentration of 20.55 ng/mL observed in patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). However, statistical analysis revealed that this difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). There was a significant statistical difference (p<0.05) in the levels of Galectin-3 between those who had a smoking risk factor (17.79 ng/mL) and those who did not (26.12 ng/mL). Galectin-3 levels were found to be elevated among those suffering from CAD. However, this investigation did not find any significant variations in Galectin-3 levels in STEMI and NSTEMI patients.