The relationship between the key markers of myocardial fibrosis and gut microbiota composition in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction

Abstract Background Increased myocardial fibrosis may play a key role in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) pathophysiology. The current gold standard for the diagnosis and assessment of myocardial fibrosis is endomyocardial biopsy. A number of circulating biomarkers have been proposed for the assessment of myocardial fibrosis, however the most consistent results have been found for C-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I (PICP) and N-terminal propeptide of pro-collagen type III (PIIINP). Some evidence suggests the possible link between the gut microbiota composition and myocardioal fibrosis. Purpose The aim of the study was to investigate the association between the serum markers of myocardial fibrosis (PICP and PIIINP) with gut microbial genera in patients with HFpEF. Methods 42 patients with confirmed HF-pEF (mediana and interquartile range of age 67 [64; 72] years, 47% men, body mass index <35 kg/m2 with no history of myocardial infarction or diabetes mellitus) were enrolled in the study. The patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography with Doppler study, HF-pEF was confirmed according to the recent ESC guidelines (based on E/e' ratio, N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide >125 pg/ml and symptoms of HF). The levels of PICP and PIIINP were evaluated in patients' serum using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The intestinal microbiome was investigated using high-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Results The mediana and interquartile range in PICP was 918 [700; 1044] pg/ml, in PIIINP it was 6.215 [3.99; 8.29] pg/ml. The analysis revealed significant correlations between PICP and the following bacterial genera of Firmicutes:Ruminococcus (r=−0,36); Gemmiger (r=−0,35), Allisonella (r=0,32) and Howardella (r=−0,30). PIIINP significantly correlated with 2 genera: Blautia which belongs to Firmicutes phylum (r=0,36) and Bilophila which belongs to Proteobacteria phylum (r=−0,33). All values with p<0,05. Conclusion Both PICP and PIIINP had negative significant correlations with beneficial bacterial genera and positive correlations with several potencially harmful gut bacterial genera. This type of relationship might become the novel field of research in the group of patients with HF-pEF due to myocardial fibrosis. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None