Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in heart failure

Heart failure is a deadly disease and is the focus of several ongoing biomarker studies. However, it is quite difficult to scientifically validate a specific biomarker because many biomarkers are neither disease specific nor tailored by therapeutic approach (1). Hence, although biomarkers are a subject of scientific papers, they rarely appear in clinical markets. In a recent case–control study, Barman et al. (2) showed that peripheral brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, in relation to New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, were lower in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) compared with age-and sex-matched healthy individuals. The authors determined that decreased serum BDNF levels were associated with death and rehospitalization in with HFrEF, suggesting that BDNF can be a useful prognostic biomarker