In fact, we found that H-FABP levels were primarily elevated in group 2 and 3 PH, whereas the concentrations of GDF-15 and suPAR were primarily associated with pulmonary hypertension due to left sided heart disease (group 2).
Of the 86 studied proteins, 4 were found to be independently associated with hypertension: GDF-15, LEP, SORT-1 and FABP-2; 3 with obesity: CEACAM-8, LEP and PRELP; and 4 with diabetes: GDF-15, REN, CXCL-1 and SCF.
The Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15) levels are increased in patients with compound heterozygous sickle cell and beta-thalassemia (HbS/β<sup>thal</sup>), correlate with markers of hemolysis, iron burden, coagulation, endothelial dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension.
Among NAFLD patients, the highest quartile of GDF15 levels was significantly associated with a risk of advanced fibrosis even after adjustment for age, gender, body mass index, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, aspartate aminotransferase, platelet, albumin, insulin resistance and low skeletal muscle mass (odds ratio, 4.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-17.63), but not with NASH risk.
In conclusion, GDF-15 is associated with hypertensive LVH and may be a powerful biomarker with which LVH risk can be predicted in patients with hypertension.