To evaluate the role of serum galectin-3 and heart fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) as early predictive biomarkers of PH in children with ventricular septal defect (VSD).
The study included 50 children with VSD; 24 of them had PH and 25 age and sex matched healthy children serve as a control group. Serum levels of galectin-3, H-FABP and echocardiography evaluation were done for all cases and control subjects. We investigated the correlation between these markers and pulmonary pressure in children with VSD.
Serum levels of galectin-3 and H-FABP were significantly higher in patients with PH. There was a significant positive correlation between both markers and pulmonary pressure. Galectin-3 and H-FABP have 76%, 60% sensitivity and 80%, 96% specificity respectively for prediction of PH in children with VSD.
Galectin-3 and H-FABP are promising cardiac biomarker for prediction and risk stratification of PH in children with VSD.