The Effect of Left Ventricular Assist Device Therapy on Cardiac Biomarkers: Implications for the Identification of Myocardial Recovery

Purpose of Review

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy serves as mainstay therapy for bridge to transplantation and destination therapy. Evidence is now mounting on the role of LVAD therapy as bridge to recovery. In the current review, we will summarize the data on biomarkers of myocardial recovery following LVAD implantation.

Recent Findings

Myocardial recovery can occur spontaneously, following pharmacological intervention and in the setting of mechanical circulatory support such as LVAD. Several biomarkers such as B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), ST2, etc. have been identified and are being used to guide medical therapy in heart failure (HF) patients. However, recent data raised concern that those biomarkers may not be helpful in managing heart failure patients in general, and as such questioned their use in the advanced heart failure population. At this point, the use of biomarker to identify patients with myocardial recovery during LVAD support has not been established, and LVAD explantation remains a decision driven by echocardiographic and hemodynamics improvement.

Summary

HF biomarkers in monitoring myocardial and neurohormonal activation response to mechanical unloading and medical therapy could be valuable. However, at this time, there is inadequate evidence to select a single or a set of HF biomarkers to reliably identify patients bridged to recovery for LVAD explantation.