A combination of circulating biomarkers associated with excessive myocardial collagen type-I cross-linking or CCL+ (i.e., decreased carboxy-terminal telopeptide of collagen type-I to matrix metalloproteinase-1 ratio) and with excessive myocardial collagen type-I deposition or CD+ (i.e., increased carboxy-terminal propeptide of procollagen type-I) has been described in heart failure (HF) patients and associates with poor outcomes.
We aimed to evaluate whether the combination of circulating biomarkers of CCL [the carboxy-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I to matrix metalloproteinase-1 ratio (CITP : MMP-1)] and CD [the carboxy-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I (PICP)] identifies myocardial fibrosis phenotypes with distinct clinical outcome in hypertensive patients with heart failure.