Measuring G Protein-coupled Receptor Kinase-2 (GRK2) in the Blood to Diagnose and Treat Patients With Heart Failure

This study seeks to define a beta-adrenergic receptor kinase molecule in the blood and its role as an improved biomarker to be used for the diagnosis, assessment and management of patients with heart failure. We will test blood cell samples for the levels of this molecule, called "G protein-coupled receptor kinase-2" (GRK2) using both the existing method of GRK2 quantification in the Koch laboratory and using a prototype enzyme immunoassay (EIA) method being developed by Johnson & Johnson, Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics (OCD).

Inclusion criteria

• Normal Controls: Individuals without HF, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease or obesity;
• Group I: Symptomatic Subjects with Reduced LV Function, HF symptoms, EF ≤ 40%.
• Group II: Asymptomatic Patients with LV dysfunction, no HF symptoms (NYHA class I and ATS score 0 or 1, EF ≤ 40%.
• Group III: Symptomatic Subjects with Preserved LV Function, HF symptoms, EF ≥ 50%, and diastolic dysfunction.
• Group IV: Asymptomatic High Risk Subjects - Individuals with normal heart function, no HF symptoms (NYHA class I and ATS score 0 or 1), Preserved LV function (EF ≥ 50%), no diastolic dysfunction. Also possess one or more cardiovascular high risk factors: diagnosis of diabetes; hyperlipidemia; coronary artery disease; renal insufficiency; hypertension; age >70 years

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnancy
• Not providing consent
• Inability to provide consent
• Participation in a clinical study involving an experimental therapy.