Publications

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS Alcohol is a key driver of liver-related mortality, and phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a direct biomarker of alcohol intake. We investigated the prognostic performance of PEth with noninvasive liver fibrosis tests (NITs) for predicting hepatic decompensation in an alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) at-risk population. METHODS Prospective cohort study with 411 at risk […]

Abstract BACKGROUND Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by an increase in proteolytic enzymes, including matrix metalloproteinases that degrade the extracellular matrix and markers of localized inflammation. Protein fragments (neoepitopes) are detectable in the circulation. RESEARCH QUESTION Can short-term trajectories of neoepitopes after initiation of antifibrotic treatment predict therapy-related outcomes, including mortality, in patients with […]

Abstract Endotrophin is a matrikine released from the C-terminus of the alpha-3 chain of type VI collagen, gaining increasing attention both as a biomarker and as a therapeutic target in the cardiometabolic space. So far, it has been quantified in circulation by the PRO-C6 assay, which detects different-sized proteolytic fragments of the C-terminus, including endotrophin. […]

Abstract BACKGROUND AND AIMS Tissue remodelling and extracellular matrix (ECM) changes are primary consequences of ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI), leading to an increased risk of developing heart failure and mortality. Collagen type I is the top constituent of the cardiac ECM and is rapidly degraded at sites of tissue injury occurring in STEMI. We aimed […]

Abstract OBJECTIVE This study aims to explore the associations between clinical characteristics, including medical history, and the frequency, severity, and type of pain events (PEs) over a two-year period in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). DESIGN A post-hoc analysis was conducted on data from two double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter phase-III trials assessing the efficacy and […]

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS Excessive alcohol consumption accelerates fibrosis progression in steatotic liver disease. Disease activity can be described by fibrogenic activity, of which collagen formation is a central process. Type III collagen formation (PRO-C3) is a biomarker of fibrosis activity. We aimed to evaluate whether PRO-C3 predicts clinical outcomes in alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) […]

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Abstract OBJECTIVE To explore associations between patient-reported pain outcomes and knee osteoarthritis (OA) subtypes based on systemic biochemical markers and joint structural pathology as defined by MRI. METHODS Data were obtained from 297 knee OA patients from the IMI-APPROACH study. Pain outcomes were assessed using the KOOS, WOMAC, ICOAP, NRS, PainDETECT, and a pain diary. […]

Abstract BACKGROUND Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling in advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) is characterised by hepatic fibrosis and (sinusoidal) basement membrane development contributing to portal hypertension (PH) and clinical complications. METHODS Patients with stable ACLD (n = 232) undergoing hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement were included. Blood biomarkers reflecting fibrosis formation (PRO-C3, PRO-C6, PRO-C4 and PRO-C18L) […]

Abstract Although interest in biomarkers of biological aging is growing, consensus on reliable, non-invasive indicators remains limited. Endotrophin, a bioactive fragment released during collagen type VI formation, reflects fibroblast activation and extracellular matrix remodeling and has been linked to chronic diseases, metabolic dysfunction, and inflammation. Whether circulating endotrophin also captures aging-related phenotypes and mortality risk in […]