title: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and long-term mortality in acute coronary syndromes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a predictor of short- and medium-term prognosis across the spectrum of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The N-terminal fragment of the BNP prohormone, N-BNP, may be an even stronger prognostic marker. We assessed the relation between subacute plasma N-BNP levels and long-term, all-cause mortality in a large, contemporary cohort of patients with ACS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood samples for N-BNP determination were obtained in the subacute phase in 204 patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MI): 220 with non-ST segment elevation MI and 185 with unstable angina in the subacute phase. After a median follow-up of 51 months, 86 patients (14%) had died. Median N-BNP levels were significantly lower in long-term survivors than in patients dying (442 versus 1306 pmol/L; P<0.0001). The unadjusted risk ratio of patients with supramedian N-BNP levels was 3.9 (95% confidence interval, 2.4 to 6.5). In a multivariate Cox regression model, N-BNP (risk ratio 2.1 [95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 3.9]) added prognostic information above and beyond Killip class, patient age, and left ventricular ejection fraction. Adjustment for peak troponin T levels did not markedly alter the relation between N-BNP and mortality. In patients with no evidence of clinical heart failure, N-BNP remained a significant predictor of mortality after adjustment for age and ejection fraction (risk ratio, 2.4 [95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 5.4]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  N-BNP is a powerful indicator of long-term mortality in patients with ACS and provides prognostic information above and beyond conventional risk markers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, National Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Torbjørn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Omland
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.forename: Leong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Russel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Herlitz
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hartford
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Caidahl
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013995:Time
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain