title: Prognostic value of brain natriuretic peptide in acute heart failure: mortality and hospital readmission.
abstract: The prognostic value of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) measurement in patients with acute heart failure is not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the BNP level and mortality and readmission for acute heart failure. We studied 569 consecutive patients who were admitted with a diagnosis of acute heart failure. The BNP level was measured after the patient became clinically stable. The relationship between the BNP level and mortality was assessed by Cox regression analysis, and the relationship with readmission, by competing risks regression analysis. During a median follow-up period of 9 (range, 3-18) months, 156 deaths (27.4%) and 140 readmissions (24.6%) occurred. Multivariate analysis demonstrated a positive linear association between the risk of death and the BNP quintile. In contrast, the BNP level did not predict readmission for acute heart failure, mainly because of the effect of death as a competing outcome.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Clínic i Universitari, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spapin. yulnunez@gmail.com
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Núñez
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Núñez
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Robles
authors.forename: Vicent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bodí
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanchis
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carratalá
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aparici
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Llàcer
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain