SRL launches lab test to predict heart failure

SRL Diagnostics launched this key medical test, available across India at all Fortis Labs/ SRL Diagnostics Labs and its collection centres for Rs. 1600.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr.B.R.Das, President-Research & Innovation, Mentor-Molecular Pathology and Clinical Research Services, SRL Diagnostics Limited said, "ST2 is the only marker available in India for predicting prognosis in Heart Failure cases and  SRL Diagnostics is the only service provider of this medical test in the country."

Das added, "Unlike many other cardiac biomarkers, ST2 is faster thus helping physicians make informed decisions on an appropriate course of action to take and, if needed, to quickly adjust treatment. It can reduce 30- day rehospitalisation rates by 17.3% and also reduce 30-day mortality rates by 17.6%."

SRL noted that the recent evidence has reported the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) to be 50 percent to 40 percent higher in Asian Indians than individuals of other ethnic origins.

In addition, some 30 percent to 40 percent of cardiovascular deaths occur between 35 and 64 years of age.

The prevalence of heart failure in India due to coronary heart disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes and rheumatic heart disease to range from 1.3 to 4.6 million, with an annual incidence of 4,91,600–1.8 million, SRL said.

"ST2 is ELISA based test which is a US FDA approved technology and was included in 2013 ACC/AHA Guidelines for The Management of Heart Failure.  It has been extensively evaluated with more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and scientific posters studying more than 35,000 patients. So far, SRL Diagnostics has collected 100 samples for the predicting the heart failure," Das said.

SRL informed that the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force jointly released its expanded clinical practice guideline for the management of patients with heart failure and has identified ST2 "not only predictive of hospitalization and death in patients with HF [heart failure] but also additive to natriuretic peptide levels in its prognostic value."