Plasma levels of growth differentiation factor-15 are associated with myocardial injury in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting

Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) has recently emerged as a risk predictor in patients with cardiovascular diseases. We therefore aimed to investigate the role of GDF-15 in the occurrence of cardiac injury during off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB). 55 consecutive patients with coronary artery diseases were recruited in this prospective, observational study. All patients were operated for OPCAB surgery. Serial blood samples were collected preoperatively, 12 hours and 36 hours after surgery. GDF-15, together with C-reactive protein, cardiac troponin I, creatine kinase MB and N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide levels in plasma were measured at each time-point. GDF-15 levels increased significantly at 12 hours after surgery, attaining nearly 2.5 times the baseline levels (p < 0.001). Postoperative GDF-15 levels correlated positively with cTnI (p = 0.003) and EuroSCORE II (p = 0.013). According to the ROC curves, postoperative plasma GDF-15 was found to be the best biomarker to predict perioperative cardiac injury, compared with cTnI, CK-MB and EuroSCORE II. Circulating GDF-15 is a promising novel biomarker for identifying perioperative myocardial injury in patients undergoing OPCAB.