The role of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 and Galectin-3 as predictive biomarkers for all-cause mortality in patients undergoing transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Background: Currently available risk scores fail to accurately predict morbidity and mortality in patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who undergo transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). In this context, biomarkers like matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and galectin-3 (Gal-3) may provide additional prognostic information. Methods: Patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing consecutive, elective, transfemoral TAVI were included. Baseline demographic data, functional status, echocardiographic findings, clinical outcomes, and biomarker levels were collected and analyzed. Results: The study cohort consisted of 89 patients (age 80.4 ± 5.1 years, EuroScore II 7.1 ± 5.8%). During a median follow-up period of 526 days, 28 patients (31.4%) died. Among those who died, median baseline MMP-2 (alive: 221.6 [170.4;263] pg/mL vs. deceased: 272.1 [225;308.8] pg/mL, p < 0.001) and Gal-3 levels (alive: 19.1 [13.5;24.6] pg/mL vs. deceased: 25 [17.6;29.5] pg/mL, p = 0.006) were higher than in survivors. In ROC analysis, MMP-2 reached an acceptable level of discrimination to predict mortality (AUC 0.733, 95% CI [0.62;0.83], p < 0.001), but the predictive value of Gal-3 was poor (AUC 0.677, 95% CI [0.56;0.79], p = 0.002). Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses showed that patients with MMP-2 and Gal-3 concentrations above the median at baseline had significantly impaired long-term survival (p = 0.004 and p = 0.02, respectively). Conclusion: In patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transfemoral TAVI, MMP-2, and to a lesser extent Gal-3, seem to have additive value in optimizing risk prediction and streamlining decision-making.