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Exploring Biomarkers in Congenital Heart Disease : A Case–Control Study of ST2 in Children with Atrial Septal Defects

Clausen, Henning LU orcid ; Friberg, Elin LU orcid ; Sairanen, Mikko ; Sjöberg, Pia LU orcid and Liuba, Petru LU (2026) In International Journal of Molecular Sciences 27(8).
Abstract

Soluble growth stimulation protein form of interleukin-1 receptor-like 1 (ST2) may signal myocardial stress, and elevated ST2 blood levels are associated with adverse outcomes in adult heart disease. Data on ST2 in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) is limited. This study explored ST2 in newborns and older children with atrial septal defect (ASD), as this represents a common CHD type that remains clinically challenging to recognize in childhood with slowly evolving symptoms. A case–control study was carried out in newborn ASD cases versus controls measuring ST2 on dried blood spot samples and additionally in pediatric ASD cases versus controls on venous blood together with cardiac magnetic resonance before and after treatment.... (More)

Soluble growth stimulation protein form of interleukin-1 receptor-like 1 (ST2) may signal myocardial stress, and elevated ST2 blood levels are associated with adverse outcomes in adult heart disease. Data on ST2 in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) is limited. This study explored ST2 in newborns and older children with atrial septal defect (ASD), as this represents a common CHD type that remains clinically challenging to recognize in childhood with slowly evolving symptoms. A case–control study was carried out in newborn ASD cases versus controls measuring ST2 on dried blood spot samples and additionally in pediatric ASD cases versus controls on venous blood together with cardiac magnetic resonance before and after treatment. ST2 was higher in newborns with ASD (n = 19) compared to controls (n = 93); (p < 0.01). Receiver operating characteristics to diagnose newborn ASD by ST2 showed an area under the curve of 0.848. Levels of ST2 decreased in pediatric ASD (n = 16) after treatment (p = 0.014). Lower left ventricular ejection fraction correlated with higher ST2 levels before (r = −0.348) and after treatment (r = −0.497). Elevated ST2 in newborns may aid early ASD diagnosis. Levels of ST2 in pediatric ASD decrease after treatment, and higher levels are associated with lower left ventricular ejection fraction, warranting further study.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
atrial septal defect, cardiac magnetic resonance, children, congenital heart disease, soluble growth stimulation protein form of interleukin-1 receptor-like 1, ST2
in
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
volume
27
issue
8
article number
3445
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • pmid:42074089
  • scopus:105037085822
ISSN
1661-6596
DOI
10.3390/ijms27083445
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
420d3811-f074-4ad9-8882-fed15ebd0691
date added to LUP
2026-05-27 14:35:46
date last changed
2026-05-28 03:16:26
@article{420d3811-f074-4ad9-8882-fed15ebd0691,
  abstract     = {{<p>Soluble growth stimulation protein form of interleukin-1 receptor-like 1 (ST2) may signal myocardial stress, and elevated ST2 blood levels are associated with adverse outcomes in adult heart disease. Data on ST2 in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) is limited. This study explored ST2 in newborns and older children with atrial septal defect (ASD), as this represents a common CHD type that remains clinically challenging to recognize in childhood with slowly evolving symptoms. A case–control study was carried out in newborn ASD cases versus controls measuring ST2 on dried blood spot samples and additionally in pediatric ASD cases versus controls on venous blood together with cardiac magnetic resonance before and after treatment. ST2 was higher in newborns with ASD (n = 19) compared to controls (n = 93); (p &lt; 0.01). Receiver operating characteristics to diagnose newborn ASD by ST2 showed an area under the curve of 0.848. Levels of ST2 decreased in pediatric ASD (n = 16) after treatment (p = 0.014). Lower left ventricular ejection fraction correlated with higher ST2 levels before (r = −0.348) and after treatment (r = −0.497). Elevated ST2 in newborns may aid early ASD diagnosis. Levels of ST2 in pediatric ASD decrease after treatment, and higher levels are associated with lower left ventricular ejection fraction, warranting further study.</p>}},
  author       = {{Clausen, Henning and Friberg, Elin and Sairanen, Mikko and Sjöberg, Pia and Liuba, Petru}},
  issn         = {{1661-6596}},
  keywords     = {{atrial septal defect; cardiac magnetic resonance; children; congenital heart disease; soluble growth stimulation protein form of interleukin-1 receptor-like 1; ST2}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Molecular Sciences}},
  title        = {{Exploring Biomarkers in Congenital Heart Disease : A Case–Control Study of ST2 in Children with Atrial Septal Defects}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms27083445}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/ijms27083445}},
  volume       = {{27}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}