Low circulating microRNA levels in heart failure patients are associated with atherosclerotic disease and cardiovascular-related rehospitalizations

Objective Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in both heart failure and atherosclerotic disease. The aim of this study was to examine associations between heart failure specific circulating miRNAs, atherosclerotic disease and cardiovascular-related outcome in patients with heart failure. Methods The levels of 11 heart failure-specific circulating miRNAs were compared in plasma of 114 heart failure patients with and without different manifestations of atherosclerotic disease. We then studied these miRNAs in relation to biomarkers associated to atherosclerosis and to cardiovascular-related rehospitalizations during 18 months of follow-up. Results At least one manifestation of atherosclerotic disease was found in 70 (61%) of the heart failure patients. A consistent trend was found between an increasing number of manifestations of atherosclerosis (peripheral arterial disease in specific), and lower levels of miR-18a-5p, miR-27a-3p, miR-199a-3p, miR-223-3p and miR-652-3p (all P