Investigating the relationship between the immune system and the build-up of fluid in the body, to understand how heart failure develops in high-risk patients, and to help slow its progression.
Aetiology
Heart failure occurs when the heart can no longer sufficiently pump blood around the body, a condition that affects around one million people in the UK. This ineffective pumping of blood can cause a buildup of fluid in the body, particularly in the lungs or legs, leading to symptoms such as breathlessness and fatigue. This fluid buildup is one of the main indicators of heart failure, however detecting it early is challenging because it develops gradually and often goes unnoticed until it becomes severe, requiring hospitalisation. This means that patients often aren’t diagnosed with heart failure until they are at an advanced stage.
Previous research by this team at the University of Glasgow has shown that ultrasound can be used to detect fluid accumulation in the heart but also in other organs including the lungs, kidneys, and two large veins of the body called inferior vena cava and jugular vein. Even among patients with heart failure without noticeable swelling in their legs or breathing difficulties, ultrasound can still detect fluid buildup in their bodies and identify those at greater risk of hospitalisation or premature death.
Other recent research has also found a correlation between fluid retention and a decline in the number of immune cells that defend the body against infections, known as lymphocytes. Therefore, it is possible that fluid buildup due to a damaged heart could make patients more vulnerable to infections and other health problems, increasing their risk of further decline.
This project plans to investigate this relationship further, by combining detailed imaging of the heart, lungs, large veins, and kidneys with blood tests. These tests will be done on patients who do not yet have heart failure but do have conditions that make them high risk for heart failure, including high blood pressure and diabetes.
Further exploration of the connections between the immune system and heart failure in high-risk patients will improve understanding of how and why heart failure progresses the way it does. It will also provide potential treatment options for slowing down this progression and improving quality of life.
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