Association Between Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibition, Cardiovascular Biomarkers, and Cardiac Remodeling in Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Background: Sacubitril/valsartan (S/V) treatment is associated with reverse cardiac remodeling and reductions in biomarkers reflecting ventricular wall stress and myocardial injury, such as N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) and soluble suppressor of tumorigenicity-2 (sST2). How longitudinal changes in these biomarkers analyzed collectively are associated with cardiac remodeling in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) treated with S/V is uncertain. Methods: In a prospective study of S/V in patients with HFrEF, this pre-specified exploratory analysis included patients with serially collected biomarkers and echocardiographic measures of cardiac remodeling through 12 months of treatment. A multivariate Latent Growth Curve model assessed associations between simultaneous changes in biomarkers and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left atrial volume index (LAVi). Results: 715 out of 794 total study participants were included (mean age 65 years, 73% male). Mean baseline LVEF and LAVi were 29% and 40 ml/m2, respectively. Adjusted geometric mean baseline concentrations for biomarkers included NT-proBNP of 649 pg/ml, hs-cTnT of 15.9 ng/L and sST2 of 24.7 ng/ml. Following initiation of S/V, circulating concentrations of NT-proBNP, hs-cTnT and sST2 significantly decreased within 30 days and remained significantly different than baseline at all subsequent timepoints. From baseline to month 12, decreases in adjusted biomarker concentrations averaged -27.9% (95% CI: -35.1% to -20.7%; p<.001) for NT-proBNP; -6.7% (95% CI: -8.8% to -4.7%; p<.001) for hs-cTnT; and -1.6% (95% CI: -2.9% to -0.4%; p<.001) for sST2. NT-proBNP concentrations were predictive of later changes in hs-cTnT. The magnitude of reductions in NT-proBNP and hs-cTnT concentrations associated with improvements in LVEF and LAVi. There was no association between changes in sST2 and changes in other measures. Conclusions: Following initiation of S/V, NT-proBNP, hs-cTnT and sST2 concentrations decreased significantly. Longitudinal changes in NT-proBNP and hs-cTnT together associated with LA and LV reverse remodeling. Registration: URL: ClinicalTrials.gov; Unique Identifier: NCT02887183.