The following is a summary of “Fatty Acid-Binding Protein-3 and Renal Function Decline in Patients With Chronic Coronary Syndrome,” published in the November 2023 issue of Nephrology by Huang et al.

Chronic coronary disease’s shadow extends to the kidneys, raising the stakes for early detection and management of concurrent kidney dysfunction.

Researchers started a retrospective study investigating whether fatty acid-binding protein-3 (FABP-3) could be a novel biomarker for renal dysfunction in patients with chronic coronary syndrome.

They classified patients with chronic coronary syndrome into three groups according to initial serum FABP-3 levels. The Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation estimated renal function. Renal events were defined as >25% and >50% decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Multivariable Cox regression was used to establish the correlation between FABP-3 and renal dysfunction.

The results showed 1606 subjects with a mean follow-up of 35.9 months; 274 patients experienced >25% reduction in eGFR, and 60 patients had >50% reduction. Kaplan-Meier survival curves indicated a significant correlation between increased FABP-3 levels and eGFR >25% reduction (P<0.001) and >50% reduction (P<0.001). In the multivariate Cox regression model, higher FABP-3 levels were linked with a high risk of eGFR >25% reduction (Group 2: HR = 1.742, 95% CI = 1.222–2.483; Group 3: HR = 2.643, 95% CI = 1.847–3.784) and >50% reduction (Group 2: HR = 3.818, 95% CI = 1.261–11.564; Group 3: HR = 9.769, 95% CI = 3.291–29.002).

Investigators concluded that FABP-3’s rising levels whispered of eGFR decline in heart disease patients, hinting at its potential as a biomarker.

Source: ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circ.148.suppl_1.14227