Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.11613/BM.2017.030709

Establishing the upper reference limit of Galectin-3 in healthy blood donors

Luisa Agnello ; Section of Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Medicine, Department of Biopathology and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Palermo, Italy
Chiara Bellia ; Section of Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Medicine, Department of Biopathology and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Palermo, Italy
Bruna Lo Sasso1 ; Section of Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Medicine, Department of Biopathology and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Palermo, Italy
Alessia Pivetti ; Section of Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Medicine, Department of Biopathology and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Palermo, Italy
Maddalena Muratore ; Unit of Trasfusional Medicine, Villa Sofia-Cervello Hospital, Palermo, Italy
Concetta Scazzone ; Section of Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Medicine, Department of Biopathology and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Palermo, Italy
Giulia Bivona ; Section of Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Medicine, Department of Biopathology and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Palermo, Italy
Giuseppe Lippi ; Section of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Verona, Italy
Marcello Ciaccio ; Section of Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Medicine, Department of Biopathology and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Palermo, Italy; UOC of Laboratory Medicine, AOUP “P. Giaccone”, Palermo, Italy

Abstract

Introduction: Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is an independent predictor of poor outcomes and mortality in patients with heart failure (HF). Thus, it has been
proposed as a reliable prognostic biomarker for HF. The definition of reference intervals is mandatory for interpreting the findings of experimental
studies and encouraging the routine use of biomarkers in clinical practice. To date, no study assessed the reference intervals of Gal-3 and identified
the biological variables that affect its concentration in a well-defined healthy population. The aim of this study was to determine the upper reference
limit (URL) of Gal-3 in a highly reliable population of healthy subjects.
Materials and methods: We recruited 714 blood donors. After measuring surrogate biomarkers to identify underlying diseases, 8 subjects were
excluded. A final population of 706 individuals (385 men (54.5%); median age 39 (18-65) years) was included. The URL was calculated using the nonparametric
percentile approach.
Results: The 97.5th percentile URL of plasma Gal-3 in our study population (90% CI) was 26.1 (23.3–31.5) ng/mL. After stratifying subjects according
to age, the URL of Gal-3 was found to be considerably higher in older (> 45 years) than in younger subjects (31.5 (26.2–51.4) vs 21.8 (21–26.1) ng/mL,
respectively). No sex-related differences were found in Gal-3 plasma concentration.
Conclusions: We established the URL of Gal-3 in a highly selected healthy population. Our findings indicate that age is an important determinant of
Gal-3 plasma concentration, so that multiple diagnostic cut-offs should be preferably used according to the different age classes.

Keywords

galectin-3; blood donors; heart failure; reference values; upper reference limit (URL)

Hrčak ID:

187592

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/187592

Publication date:

15.10.2017.

Visits: 1.300 *