Context: Improved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) following administration of recombinant human Neuregulin-1β (NRG), epidermal growth factor (EGF) involved in cardiomyocyte repair/survival, has been observed in patients with systolic heart failure (HF).
Methods: Serum NRG was measured by ELISA in 248 patients with NYHA class I-IV HF.
Results: NRG exhibited a marginally significant effect on LVEF trajectory over 11 months (p = 0.07). There is no apparent level of NRG that predicts improved survival.
Conclusions: There is a potential relationship between serum NRG and improved LVEF, indicating the need to investigate the utility of NRG in predicting HF outcomes, including LVEF maintenance.
Keywords: Neuregulin-1; cardiomyopathy; heart failure; left ventricular ejection fraction; left ventricular systolic dysfunction.