title: N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide predicts cardiovascular events in patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy: a LIFE study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (Nt-proBNP) and N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (Nt-proANP) are strong cardiovascular risk markers in patients with chronic heart failure, as well as in the general population. We investigated whether high Nt-proBNP or Nt-proANP could also predict the composite endpoint (CEP) of cardiovascular death, non-fatal stroke or non-fatal myocardial infarction in patients with hypertension and left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy.
  
  
  METHODS
  After 2 weeks of placebo treatment, clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic variables were assessed in 183 hypertensive participants in the LIFE echo substudy with electrocardiographic LV hypertrophy. Nt-proBNP and Nt-proANP were measured by immunoassay at baseline. The patients were followed for 60 +/- 5 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using Cox regression analysis, the 25 CEP were predicted by ln(Nt-proBNP) (hazard ratio 1.61 per 2.73-fold increase, P < 0.01) as well as ln(Nt-proANP) (hazard ratio 2.93, P < 0.05). Nt-proBNP above the median value of 21.8 pmol/ml was associated with higher incidence of CEP (19.6 versus 7.7%, P < 0.05). Nt-proBNP above the median value was associated with higher incidence of CEP in the 123 patients without history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease (14.8 versus 4.3%, P < 0.05), but the association was insignificant in the 60 patients with a history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease (26.3 versus 18.2%, NS). Nt-proANP showed the same tendency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nt-proBNP, more than Nt-proANP, strongly predicts cardiovascular events in patients with hypertension and LV hypertrophy, especially in patients without diabetes or clinically overt cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Glostrup University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark. mho@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wachtell
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tuxen
authors.forename: Eigil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fossum
authors.forename: Lia E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ibsen
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rokkedal
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Devereux
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hildebrandt
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001262:Atenolol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D019808:Losartan / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D001262:Atenolol; D019808:Losartan