title: NT-proBNP values in elderly heart failure patients with atrial fibrillation and diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate N-terminal pro-BNP-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) plasmatic levels in heart failure patients with/without atrial fibrillation (AFib) and with/without diabetes (DM).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study enrolled 120 patients with heart failure, age 71.26±9.14, 48.3% AFib and 30.8% with DM. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to the presence or absence of AFib and DM: group 1, 46 patients in sinus rhythm (SR) without DM; group 2, 16 patients in SR with DM; group 3, 37 patients with AFib and without DM; group 4, 21 patients with both AFib and DM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients in SR with DM displayed lower NT-proBNP levels than those with AFib without DM (1196.75±1183.11 vs 1940.59±963.665, p=0.02). We recorded no significant difference in comparison with the patients who had both AFib and DM (1196.75±1183.11 vs 1452.67±1257.94, p=NS). There was no significant difference between groups 3 and 4. Statistically significant correlations between ejection fraction, namely NYHA class and NT-proBNP levels were recorded only in the patients in SR-group 1 (r=-0.42, p<0.01) and group 2 (r=-0.66, p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Correlations between plasma NT-proBNP levels and ejection fraction, namely NYHA class, were evinced only in patients in SR.
authors.affiliation: "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; "New Bluelife" Medical Center, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: adelasitar@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Adela Viviana
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Sitar Taut
authors.affiliation: "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Rehabilitation Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: pop67dana@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pop
authors.affiliation: "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Rehabilitation Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Dumitru Tudor
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Zdrenghea
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D058065:Diabetic Cardiomyopathies / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013318:Stroke Volume
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Elderly; Heart failure; NT-proBNP; diAbetes