The Future of Biomarker-Guided Therapy for Heart Failure After the Guiding Evidence-Based Therapy Using Biomarker Intensified Treatment in Heart Failure (GUIDE-IT) Study
Ibrahim NE, Januzzi JL Jr.

KEYWORDS
Biomarkers; Clinical trials; Guidelines; Heart failure; Heart failure therapy; Natriuretic peptides

PURPOSE OF REVIEW - Biomarker-guided management of patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) remains controversial.

RECENT FINDINGS - Biomarkers have established roles for diagnosis and prognostication in HF. Pilot data suggested that use of natriuretic peptides might be helpful to guide HF care. The recent Guiding Evidence-Based Therapy Using Biomarker Intensified Treatment in Heart Failure (GUIDE-IT) randomized-controlled trial did not find therapy guided by NT-proBNP to be more effective than usual care in improving the primary endpoint of HF hospitalization or cardiovascular mortality amongst patients with chronic HFrEF. Patients inGUIDE-ITreceived similar care and had similar NT-proBNP lowering regardless of treatment allocation. Though biomarkers retain important standing for diagnosis and prognosis in HF, theGUIDE-ITtrial results suggest carefully managed patients may not benefit from a biomarker-guided strategy. Future studies focusing this intervention on patients treated in a more real-world setting are needed.