Diagnostic and prognostic value of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation.
BACKGROUND
BNP and its N-terminal fragment NT-proBNP have proven to be of diagnostic and prognostic value in patients with valvular aortic stenosis. Data regarding those biomarkers in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) are sparse. Thus it was the aim of the present study to evaluate the diagnostic and the long term prognostic value of NT-proBNP in patients presenting with AR.


RESULTS
This study included 60 patients with isolated AR of varying severity (AR I mild, AR II moderate and AR III severe) and preserved left ventricular function. Patients were followed over a median period of 824 (770-921) days. NT-proBNP at baseline was related to disease severity and to functional status (161 (70-456) pg/ml in AR I, 226 (100-666) pg/ml in AR II and 1268 (522-5446) pg/ml in AR III (p=0.003)). Patients (n=6) experiencing an adverse event had higher NT-proBNP values at baseline as event free survivors (1271 (613-2992) pg/ml vs. 215 (92-534) pg/ml; p=0.034). The AUC of the ROC curve for NT-proBNP as a predictor for an adverse event was 0.76 (p<0.036) with an optimised cut-off value of 602 pg/ml. Consequently, in Kaplan-Meier analysis NT-proBNP values dichotomised at this cut-off were able to discriminate patients with an adverse outcome in the entire study group (Log rank 9.98, p=0.0016) and even better in the conservative group (Log rank 26.92, p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
NT-proBNP is linked to disease severity in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation reflecting hemodynamic stress due to volume overload. It provides prognostic information for the clinical outcome and thus might be a useful biomarker for risk stratification.
Kerckhoff Heart Center, Department of Cardiology, Bad Nauheim, Germany. M.Weber@Kerckhoff-Klinik.de
Michael
M
Weber
Michael
M
Hausen
Roman
R
Arnold
Helge
H
Moellmann
Holger
H
Nef
Albrecht
A
Elsaesser
Vesselin
V
Mitrovic
Christian
C
Hamm
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013318:Stroke Volume
D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011498:Protein Precursors; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain