The emerging role of new biomarkers of congestion in heart failure

The prevalence of heart failure (HF) continues to grow rapidly and is projected to rise by 46% by 2030 (1). High morbidity and mortality in patients with this condition creates a need for reliable and affordable non-invasive monitoring tools that can guide the therapy and predict outcomes. In a recent paper by Arrigo and colleagues (2), authors investigate a novel biomarker, Soluble CD146, and compare it with a well-established natriuretic peptide: NT-proBNP. In order to better understand the value of this study, we’ll briefly summarize the history, biology, and significance of natriuretic peptides and briefly review other biomarkers of congestion in HF.