Low YKL-40 in chronic heart failure may predict beneficial effects of statins: analysis from the controlled rosuvastatin multinational trial in heart failure (CORONA)

Abstract

Context and objective: To evaluate if YKL-40 can provide prognostic information in patients with ischemic heart failure (HF) and identify patients who may benefit from statin therapy.

Materials and methods: The association between serum YKL-40 and predefined outcome was evaluated in 1344 HF patients assigned to rosuvastatin or placebo.

Results: YKL-40 was not associated with outcome in adjusted analysis. In YKL-40 tertile 1, an effect on the primary outcome (HR 0.50, p = 0.006) and CV death (HR 0.54, p = 0.040) was seen by rosuvastatin in adjusted analysis.

Conclusions: A beneficial modification of outcome was observed with statin therapy in patients with low YKL-40 levels.

Keywords:

• Heart failure
• mortality
• risk prediction
• YKL-40

Disclosure statement

JJM, LG, and JK were on the CORONA steering committee and have received lecture fees from AstraZeneca. JW was earlier also adviser on cardiovascular research at AstraZeneca Research Laboratories, Mölndal, Sweden. AstraZeneca and Roche Diagnostics had no role in the design of the study, analysis of the data, or preparation of the article. The other authors report no conflicts.

Funding information

This work was supported by AstraZeneca and grant from an anonymous donor.