N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide is an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the general population.
OBJECTIVE
Natriuretic peptides including N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are established biomarkers in heart failure. However, their prognostic value in the general population is less well established. The purpose of our study was to investigate the prognostic properties of NT-proBNP for death and cardiovascular (CV) events in the general population.


RESULTS
In the population-based Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-stage Disease (PREVEND) study, 8383 subjects were prospectively followed for a median period of 7.5 years. There were 4181 (49.9%) males and 4202 (50.1%) females, mean age was 49.3 +/- 12.7 years (range 28-75). Median NT-proBNP at baseline was 37.7 pg/mL (IQR 16.8-73.8). All-cause death occurred in 437 (5.2%) subjects and there were 557 (6.6%) CV events. Higher levels of plasma NT-proBNP were related to higher event rates. When adjusted for age, gender, and other relevant covariates, each doubling of NT-proBNP remained significantly associated with a 22% increased risk for all-cause mortality (P < 0.001) and a 16% increased risk of CV events (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
In this large community-based cohort, plasma NT-proBNP was a strong predictor of death and a wide range of CV events.
Department of Cardiology, Thoraxcenter, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, PO Box 30 001, 9700 RB Groningen, the Netherlands.
Gerard C M
GC
Linssen
Stephan J L
SJ
Bakker
Adriaan A
AA
Voors
Ron T
RT
Gansevoort
Hans L
HL
Hillege
Paul E
PE
de Jong
Dirk J
DJ
van Veldhuisen
Rijk O B
RO
Gans
Dick
D
de Zeeuw
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality*; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain