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(Circulation. 2007;116:1525.)
© 2007 American Heart Association, Inc.

Issue Highlights

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

	GROWTH DIFFERENTIATION FACTOR 15 FOR RISK STRATIFICATION AND SELECTION OF AN INVASIVE TREATMENT STRATEGY IN NON–ST-ELEVATION ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME, by Wollert et al.

 
A number of biomarkers have been shown to help in risk stratifying patients with non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome, but only cardiac-specific enzyme elevations have been shown to help in identifying those who benefit from early revascularization. Growth differentiation factor 15 is a member of the transforming growth factor β-cytokine family that is induced in the myocardium after ischemia and reperfusion. Prior studies have shown it to be elevated in non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome and to be independently related to mortality. This study was undertaken to determine if an elevated level of growth differentiation factor 15 would assist in risk stratification and help identify those patients who would benefit most from an early invasive strategy. On the basis of data from the Fast Revascularization during InStability in Coronary artery disease II (FRISC-II) trial, modest or highly elevated levels predicted a better outcome with an invasive strategy. In patients with normal levels of growth differentiation factor 15, an invasive strategy was not beneficial even in the presence of ST depression or elevated Troponin levels. This study suggests that growth differentiation factor 15 levels may help in risk stratification and in clinical decision making in patients with non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome. See p 1540.

	PATTERNS OF WEIGHT CHANGE PRECEDING HOSPITALIZATION FOR HEART FAILURE, by Chaudhry et al.

 
Among patients with chronic heart failure (HF), hospitalization for decompensation of symptoms is a substantial morbidity burden, as well as a major driver of the economic burden of HF. Disease management programs are increasingly used in an attempt to homogenize the applications of evidence-based care, as well as . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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