Free-Circulating DNA in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure

The purpose of this work was to study the significance of the level of free-circulating DNA (fсDNA) in verifying the diagnosis of chronic heart failure (CHF), and to analyze the possible influence of the left ventricular ejection fraction value and biochemical blood test parameters on the studied marker. Materials and methods. The study involved 107 people with CHF who were under the follow-up of a cardiologist. The comparison group (the control one) consisted of 74 people of the same age and gender without chronic pathology. All patients underwent laboratory (clinical, biochemical blood tests) and instrumental examination (electrocardiography, echocardiography, ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs, chest radiography). To assess exercise tolerance, patients took a 6-minute walking test. The concentration of fcDNA in the blood plasma in patients with CHF was determined according to the method proposed by Laktionov P.P., Tamkovich S.N. and Rykova E.Yu. (2005). Results. Values of fсDNA for diagnosing CHF were calculated to be 61–90 ng/ml, and this indicator demonstrated the “excellent” quality of the distribution model according to the ROC curve. In addition, the biomarker is inversely proportional to the value of the ejection fraction, that is, a decrease in myocardial contractility is accompanied by an increase in fcDNA in the blood. A direct correlation of fcDNA with the level of uric acid was found, which is associated with the characteristics of the metabolism of purine bases. Conclusion. The level of fcDNA in blood plasma is characterized by sufficient diagnostic value and can be used as an objective biomarker of the severity of structural disorders in patients with CHF.