title: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and long-term mortality in non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The inactive N-terminal fragment of B-type natriuretic peptide is a strong predictor of mortality among patients with acute and chronic heart failure secondary to ischaemic heart disease. Its prognostic utility in patients with non-ischaemic heart disease is not well established. We therefore assessed the relationship of N-terminal proBNP levels and long-term mortality in patients with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  N-terminal proBNP was measured in serum samples of 156 patients who presented to a single academic centre with worsening heart failure secondary to non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy. The rate of death from all causes was determined after a mean follow-up of 8.9 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate analyses, using Cox proportional hazards models, established NT-proBNP and left ventricular diastolic diameter as predictors for cardiac mortality with estimated hazard ratios of 2.76 (95% confidence interval: 1.53, 4.98) and 1.06 (95% confidence interval: 1.02, 1.10), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This to date longest-term analysis of N-terminal proBNP and mortality in patients with proven non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy confirms this cardiac-specific biomarker as powerful, independent risk predictor. It is a superior prognostic determinant to New York Heart Association functional class and left ventricular ejection fraction.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine - Cardiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Campus Virchow, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Florian
authors: F
authors: Krackhardt
authors: Hans-Dirk
authors: HD
authors: Düngen
authors: Tobias Daniel
authors: TD
authors: Trippel
authors: Simone
authors: S
authors: Inkrot
authors: Verena
authors: V
authors: Tscholl
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Schlattmann
authors: Kathrin
authors: K
authors: Kehrt
authors: Wilhelm
authors: W
authors: Haverkamp
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D015995:Prevalence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain