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Abstract There is no biomarker reflecting right ventricular dysfunction in HFrEF patients used in clinical practice. We have aimed to look for a circulating marker of RV dysfunction employing a quantitative proteomic strategy. The Olink Proteomics Multiplex panels (Cardiovascular Disease II, III, Cardiometabolic, and Inflammation Target Panels) identified FGF-23 to be the most differentially abundant (more than 2.5-fold) in blood plasma of HF patients with severe RV dysfunction (n = 30) compared to those with preserved RV function (n = 31). A subsequent ELISA-based confirmatory analysis of circulating FGF-23 in a large cohort of patients (n = 344, 72.7% NYHA III/IV, LVEF 22.5%, 54.1% with moderate/severe RV dysfunction), followed by multivariable regression analysis, revealed that the plasma FGF-23 level was most significantly associated with RV dysfunction grade (p = 0.0004) and congestion in the systemic circulation (p = 0.03), but not with LV-ejection fraction (p = 0.69) or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, p = 0.08). FGF-23 was associated with the degree of RV dysfunction in both sub-cohorts (i.e. in patients with and without congestion, p

Abstract The role of metformin (MET) in the treatment of patients with advanced HFrEF and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is not firmly established. We studied the impact of MET on metabolic profile, quality of life (QoL) and survival in these patients. A total of 847 stable patients with advanced HFrEF (57.4 ± 11.3 years, 67.7% NYHA III/IV, LVEF 23.6 ± 5.8%) underwent clinical and laboratory evaluation and were prospectively followed for a median of 1126 (IQRs 410; 1781) days for occurrence of death, urgent heart transplantation or mechanical circulatory support implantation. A subgroup of 380 patients (44.9%) had DM, 87 of DM patients (22.9%) were treated with MET. Despite worse insulin sensitivity and more severe DM (higher BMI, HbA1c, worse insulin resistance), MET-treated patients exhibited more stable HF marked by lower BNP level (400 vs. 642 ng/l), better LV and RV function, lower mitral and tricuspid regurgitation severity, were using smaller doses of diuretics (all p