Parathyroid hormone serum concentration in Central European patients with non-ischaemic heart failure as a potential marker of disease severity and poor prognosis

Abstract

Introduction: Parathyroid hormone (PTH) might be considered as a potential marker of disease severity and worse prognosis in heart failure (HF) patients. The aim of the study was to assess PTH, vitamin D, phosphorus (P), and total calcium (Ca2+) serum concentrations in Central European patients suffering from HF of non-ischaemic origin compared to non-HF volunteers.To evaluate potential correlations among the enumerated parameters, established markers of worse prognosis and declared sun exposure.

Material and methods: Serum intact-PTH, 25-OH vitamin D, P, and total Ca2+ concentrations were assessed in a group of HF patients and non-HF volunteers. Patients described their daily profile of sun exposure during the previous eight weeks as “above” or “below” seven hours a week.

Results: The mean PTH concentrations in the non-ischaemic HF group and control group were 79.5 pg/mL and 59.6 pg/mL, respectively (P = 0.009). Non-HF volunteers declaring higher sun exposure time had higher serum concentrations of vitamin D compared to those with lower sun exposure time (30.3 vs. 23.8 ng/mL, P < 0.05), unlike the HF patients (24.1 ng/mL vs. 23.2 ng/mL, P = ns). Multiple regression analysis revealed the relationship between age, NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide), P, and PTH as a dependent variable.

Conclusions: PTH is significantly elevated in non-ischaemic HF patients compared to non-HF volunteers and correlates with established factors of worse prognosis, including age, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum concentrations of creatinine, and NT-proBNP. Declared sun exposure did not affect the serum concentration of vitamin D in the HF group, in contrast to the control group.