Lower Brain Natriuretic Peptide Research Articles

Clinical Utility of Baseline Brain Natriuretic Peptide Levels on Health Status Outcomes after Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation in Individuals without Heart Failure.

Catheter ablation (CA) benefits atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with heart failure (HF). Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a marker of left-ventricular pressure load, may serve as a potential surrogate for predicting quality of life (QOL) in a broader range of patients. Within the multicenter KiCS-AF registry, 491 AF patients underwent CA without clinical HF (e.g., documented history of HF, left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 40%, or BNP levels ≥ 100 pg/mL). Participants, aged 61 ± 10 years, were categorized by baseline BNP quartiles. Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-Life (AFEQT) questionnaire assessments were assessed at baseline and 1 year. A lower baseline BNP correlated with reduced AFEQT scores. Post CA, all groups showed significant AFEQT score improvements. The lower-BNP group displayed notable enhancements (18.2 ± 1.2, 15.0 ± 1.1, 12.6 ± 1.2, 13.6 ± 1.2, p < 0.005), especially in symptom and treatment concern areas. Even those with normal BNP levels (≤18.4 pg/mL) exhibited significant QOL improvements. Comparing paroxysmal AF (PAF) and non-PAF groups, the PAF group, especially with higher BNP levels, showed greater AFEQT score improvements. This study establishes BNP as a predictive marker for QOL enhancement in non-HF patients undergoing CA for AF. BNP levels represent AF stages, with individuals in earlier stages, especially within normal BNP levels, experiencing greater QOL improvements.

Efficacy and prognostic impact of Pericarpium Trichosanthis injection combined with nicorandil for intractable angina pectoris in elderly patients: A retrospective study.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of global cardiovascular mortality. Refractory angina pectoris, a manifestation of CAD, requires effective drug treatments. Pericarpium Trichosanthis injection, a traditional Chinese medicine, improves cardiovascular symptoms, while nicorandil alleviates spasms and angina. Both have potential in treating CAD. To investigate the therapeutic effects of combining Pericarpium Trichosanthis injection and nicorandil in elderly patients suffering from refractory angina caused by coronary heart disease. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of 130 patients diagnosed with refractory coronary heart disease. Based on the different treatment regimens administered during hospitalization, the patients were divided into a control group (58 cases) and a study group (72 cases). The control group received conventional treatment, which included aspirin, statins, and nitrate vasodilators. In addition to the conventional medication, the study group received a combination treatment of Pericarpium Trichosanthis injection and nicorandil. After treatment, the study group showed significantly higher left ventricular ejection fraction and cardiac output, and lower brain natriuretic peptide and C-reactive protein levels compared to the control group. The study group also exhibited improvements in angina, quality of life, exercise endurance, and lipid profiles. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a relationship of lipid levels and heart function with the combined treatment. Some patients in the study group experienced headaches during treatment, but no significant adverse reactions were observed. Follow-up showed that the treatment was well-tolerated, with no drug-related adverse reactions detected. Combination of Pericarpium Trichosanthis injection and nicorandil is more effective than conventional treatment in improving symptoms and heart function in elderly patients with refractory angina pectoris.

BNP level predicts bleeding event in patients with heart failure after percutaneous coronary intervention

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the association between heart failure (HF) severity measured based on brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and future bleeding events after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).BackgroundThe Academic...

Outcomes in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy developing left ventricular systolic dysfunction after septal reduction therapy

Abstract Background In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), systolic dysfunction (SD), defined by a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) &amp;lt;50% is associated with a poor prognosis. After septal reduction therapy (SRT), anticipated alterations in left ventricular geometry and septal desynchrony may lead to reduction in LVEF. The prognostic significance of a reduction in LVEF &amp;lt;50% following SRT has not been established. Purpose To investigate the relationship between new development of SD post SRT and outcomes in HCM patients. Methods Of the 4110 HCM patients at our referral centre, 179 patients (4.4%) developed SD during follow up. The composite cardiac outcome was defined as the occurrence of new resuscitated cardiac arrest, ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, and cardiac death after the onset of SD. Results Of the 179 patients who developed systolic dysfunction (SD), 67 patients developed it after undergoing septal reduction therapy (SRT) (4 patients underwent alcohol septal ablation, and 63 patients underwent septal myectomy). Both groups had similar characteristics with respect to age at the time of SD identification (59.9 ± 13.5 years vs. 59.6 ± 14.2 years, P=0.88), gender (76% men vs. 66% men, P=0.18), and genotype (24% had pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants vs. 28%, P=0.07). Despite similar LVEF at the time of presentation with SD between the two groups (44.1 ± 4.2% vs. 44.4% ± 4.9%, P=0.75), patients who underwent SRT had a lower maximal wall thickness (17.4 ± 4.9mm vs. 19.2 ± 5.2mm, P=0.02), larger end-diastolic diameter (5.3 ± 0.8mm vs. 4.8 ± 0.8mm, P&amp;lt;0.001) and end-systolic diameters (3.8 ± 0.7mm vs. 3.2 ± 0.8mm, P&amp;lt;0.001) than patients without SRT. Furthermore, patients who underwent SRT had a longer QRS complex duration (162.3 ± 20.6ms vs. 125.1 ± 31ms, p&amp;lt;0.001) and lower brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) (359.3 ± 632.9pg/ml vs. 690.8 ± 841.8pg/ml, p=0.04) during follow up than patients without prior SRT. During a mean follow up of 4.7 ± 4.1 years, the incidence of the composite cardiac outcome was significantly lower in patients who underwent SRT than in patients without prior SRT (7.5% vs. 20.5%, P=0.02). Notably, there were no observed sudden cardiac deaths observed in those who developed SD post SRT. Conclusion The prognosis for patients with HCM who underwent SRT and subsequently developed SD was significantly more favourable than for those who did not have a history of SRT. Thus, changes in left ventricular geometry and LVEF after SRT may not necessarily translate into a worsened prognosis.

The relationship between the incision line and position of the latissimus dorsi muscle for subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator intermuscular implantations.

Intermuscular implantations of subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (S-ICD) have been recommended, but the position of the anterior border of the latissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) has not previously been evaluated in establishing an incision line to facilitate the intermuscular approach. The objective of this study is to evalua the position and trend of the anterior border of the LDM in patients who are candidates for implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. The distance from the back to the anterior border of the LDM (A) and the anterior-posterior width of the chest wall (B) weremeasured on computed tomography retrospectively, and the ratio (=A/B) was used as the position of the anterior border of the LDM. In addition, the variability and factors affecting the values were evaluated. An analysis was performed on 78 patients, and the position of the anterior border of the LDM (=A/B) exhibited a normal distribution, with a mean value of 0.53 ± 0.062 (0.41-0.69). The position of the anterior border of the LDM tended to be more anterior in younger, taller, male, primary prevention, nonheart failure, low brain natriuretic peptide level, and nondiabetic patients. The position of the anterior border of the LDM varied from case to case with variable results. Conventional incisions on the midaxillary line may be inappropriate for intermuscular implantations, and the position of the anterior border of the LDM should be evaluated in each individual case to establish the incision line.

Combination of brain natriuretic peptide and urinary albumin as a predictor of cardiovascular-renal events in outpatients with chronic kidney disease.

Cardiovascular and renal diseases are closely related. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and urinary albumin are established predictors for cardiac and renal morbidities, respectively. To date, no reports have investigated the combined predictive value of BNP and urinary albumin for long-term cardiovascular-renal events in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to investigate this theme. Four hundred eighty-three patients with CKD were enrolled into this study and followed-up for 10 years. The endpoint was cardiovascular-renal events. During the median follow-up period of 109 months, 221 patients developed cardiovascular-renal events. Log-transformed BNP and urinary albumin were identified as independent predictors for cardiovascular-renal events, with a hazard ratio of 2.59 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.81-3.72) and 2.27 (95% CI, 1.82-2.84) for BNP and urinary albumin, respectively. For the combined variables, the group with high BNP and urinary albumin had a markedly higher risk (12.41-times; 95% CI 5.23-29.42) of cardiovascular-renal events compared with that of the group with low BNP and urinary albumin. Adding both variables to a predictive model with basic risk factors improved the C-index (0.767, 0.728 to 0.814, p=0.009), net reclassification improvement (0.497, p<0.0001), and integrated discrimination improvement (0.071, p<0.0001) more than each of them alone. This is the first report to demonstrate that the combination of BNP and urinary albumin can stratify and improve the predictability of long-term cardiovascular-renal events in CKD patients.

Mechanical Circulatory Assistance in Children: Clinical Outcome

In countries where organ donation is scarce, mortality in the pediatric heart transplant waiting list is high, and ventricular assist devices (VADs) are therapeutic alternatives in these situations. Berlin Heart EXCOR is currently 1 of the few VADs specific for children. This retrospective study includes pediatric patients who underwent Berlin Heart EXCOR placement in a Brazilian hospital between 2012 and 2021. Clinical and laboratory data at the time of VAD implantation and the occurrence of complications and outcomes (success as a bridge to transplant or death) were analyzed. Eight patients, from 8 months to 15 years, were included: 6 with cardiomyopathy and 2 with congenital heart disease. Six were on Intermacs 1 and 2 on Intermacs 2. The most common complications observed were stroke and right ventricular dysfunction. Six were transplanted, and 2 died. Those submitted to transplant had a higher mean weight than those who died, with no statistically significant difference. The underlying disease had no impact on the outcome. The group undergoing transplant had lower brain natriuretic peptide and lactate values, but no laboratory variable showed a statistically significant difference in the outcome. A VAD is an invasive treatment with potentially serious adverse effects and is still poorly available in Brazil. However, as a bridge to transplant, it is a useful treatment for children in progressive clinical decline. In this study, we did not observe any clinical or laboratory factor at the time of VAD implantation that implied better outcomes.

A new risk score for the assessment of outcomes for Chinese patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy

BackgroundPeripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a potentially life-threatening complication of pregnancy, but identifying patients at higher risk of this condition remains difficult. ObjectivesWe conducted a study to identify new risk factors associated with PPCM and predictors of poor outcomes. MethodsThis retrospective analysis included a total of 44 women with PPCM. As a control group, 79 women who gave birth around the same time as the PPCM patients and who did not have organic disease were included. A multivariate regression analysis was conducted to identify risk factors associated with PPCM and with delayed recovery. ResultsAll PPCM patients were discharged within 28 days. In comparison to the control group, PPCM patients had higher rates of preeclampsia (20.4% vs. 1.27%, P<0.001), autoimmune disease (27.3% vs. 11.4%, P = 0.018), and cesarean delivery with preterm labor (31.8% vs. 17.7%, P = 0.037). The neonates of PPCM patients had lower birth weight (2.70±0.66 kg vs. 3.21±0.57 kg, P<0.001). PPCM patients had higher levels of C-reactive protein, d-dimer, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and serum phosphorus, but lower levels of albumin and serum calcium (all P<0.001). In all patients with PPCM, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) returned to normal (≥50%) within 28 days after admission. Subjects with early recovery (n = 34) had lower BNP than those with delayed recovery (n = 10) (649.7 ± 526.0 pg/mL vs. 1444.1 ± 1040.8 pg/mL, P = 0.002). Multivariate regression led to a three-point score system to predict PPCM (1 point each for the presence of pericardial effusion, left ventricular dilatation, and d-dimer level ≥0.5 μg/mL). At a cutoff of ≥2, this scoring system predicted delayed recovery with 95.5% sensitivity and 96.1% specificity. The negative predictive value was 97.4% and the positive predictive value was 93.3%. Binary logistic regression indicated that PPCM patients with pulmonary hypertension, lower hemoglobin, or worse LVEF tended to require longer hospital stay (minimum 14 days). ConclusionsA risk score that consists of pericardial effusion, left ventricular dilatation, and d-dimer level ≥ 0.5 μg/mL could help streamline the diagnosis of PPCM prior to confirmatory investigations. Moreover, a risk score that consists of pulmonary hypertension, lower hemoglobin and worse LVEF could help to predict poor outcomes in PPCM patients.

257 Exploring Brain Natriuretic Peptide and Subclinical Heart Disease in Emergency Patients With Asymptomatic Hypertension

257 Exploring Brain Natriuretic Peptide and Subclinical Heart Disease in Emergency Patients With Asymptomatic Hypertension

Abstract 56: Differences Between Chronic Thromboembolic Disease And Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension Patients At Time Of Presentation

Background: Approximately 1/3 of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) patients develop chronic thromboembolic disease (CTED), a condition in which a patient’s PE does not resolve after standard anticoagulation therapy. Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) can occur in about 3-4% of acute PE patients. Though CTED and CTEPH share an underlying cause, few studies have compared symptom severity, patient history, and other clinical indicators for the two diseases. Moreover, CTED is sometimes considered to be an asymptomatic condition. The symptomatology in CTEPH is thought to be primarily determined by pulmonary hypertension, a characteristic that CTED patients do not share. Methods: Data were collected at baseline diagnosis from 24 CTED and 65 CTEPH patients in the University of Michigan Pulmonary Hypertension Registry between 2016-2020. Demographic, 6-minute walk (6MW), echocardiography, past medical history, and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) data were compared between groups. Results: CTED patients were: 1) less symptomatic (better WHO functional class [FC], better predicted 6MW), 2) had more preserved oxygenation during 6MW, 3) had less RV dilation/dysfunction and RA dilation on echo, and 4) lower BNP, than CTEPH patients. Despite this, 54% of CTED patients demonstrated significantly impaired FC (III/IV) without evidence of significant RV dysfunction, exercise hypoxia or volume overload. Conclusion: More than half of CTED patients in our study had significantly impaired FC. Further investigation into CTED symptomatology is warranted. CTEPH patients are more symptomatic and present with worse clinical metrics than CTED patients, which may be attributed to more advanced RV dysfunction and higher BNP level. These results may help distinguish CTED v. CTEPH diagnoses earlier, leading to earlier targeted treatment and better outcomes.

Diagnosis for readmission of senile patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure in different departments: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

BackgroundShort-term hospital readmissions for acute heart failure lead to the rise of health care budget and all-cause death. Elderly patients with acute or decompensated heart failure are often admitted to different wards (either the geriatric department or other departments). The diagnosis for readmission, cost and length of hospital stay in different wards are not well known.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted examining senile patients admitted to the hospital over a 1-year period. Data related to demographic information, comorbidities, ejection fraction (EF), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels, costs, and discharge disposition were collected from electronic medical record.ResultsA total of 3,922 cases were enrolled in this study. There were 1,316 patients with heart failure who were re-hospitalized, among which, 893 were admitted to the geriatric department. The top 3 diagnosis for re-hospitalization for more than 7 days in the geriatric department were pneumonia (38.5%), blood pressure fluctuations (19.4%), and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) (13.3%). The factors for readmission to other departments were pneumonia (32.5%), arrhythmia (17.7%), and blood pressure fluctuations (15.5%). The top 3 diagnosis for rehospitalizations lasting 7 days or less in the geriatric department were blood pressure fluctuations (26.5%), arrhythmia (23.4%), and fatigue or stress (16.9%), while ACS (24.1%), blood pressure fluctuations (22.5%), and arrhythmia (14.7%) were the top 3 diagnosis for other departments. The geriatric department tended to receive more senile patients, with lower BNP levels (625.13±823.71 vs. 929.31±873.38 pg/mL), and longer duration of hospitalization (24.38±5.228 vs. 15.65±5.907 days). However, there was no significant difference in the total cost of admission between geriatric department and other departments ($4,483 vs. $4,415, P=0.129).ConclusionsOur study identified a higher readmission rate in senile acute decompensated heart failure patients. Pneumonia was listed as the top 1 diagnosis for longer hospital stay in different department. Those rehospitalized with pneumonia may benefit from geriatric department.

Combining Prognostic Nutritional Index and Brain Natriuretic Peptide as a Predicting Tool for Heart Transplantation.

Our study aimed to evaluate the potential of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in predicting the prognosis of heart transplantation (HTx). We retrospectively investigated 489 patients undergoing HTx between 2015 and 2020 in our center. The relationship between preoperative index and prognosis was analyzed respectively, the optimal cut-off values for preoperative PNI and BNP level were evaluated with receiver operating curve analysis. Uni-variate analysis and multivariate analysis were used to compare baseline data (sex, age, diagnosis, etc.) of groups divided by the level of PNI and BNP. Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to eliminate bias. We calculated the C-index from the prediction efficiency of PNI and BNP. During the period, 489 recipients undergoing HTx in our center were included according to the inclusion criteria; 383 (78.3%) males and 106 (21.7%) females were included in this study, with a median age of 47.57 years old. The ROC curve showed that the optimal cut-off values of each indicator were verified as 49.345 for PNI, and 4397.500 for BNP. The multivariate analyses indicated that PNI (p = 0.047), BNP (p = 0.024), age (p = 0.0023), and waiting time (p = 0.012) were risk factors for all-cause death after HTx. Propensity score matching generated 116 pairs based on PNI level and 126 pairs based on BNP level, and the results showed that OS (overall survival) was significantly correlated with PNI (n = 232, p = 0.0113) and BNP (n = 252, p = 0.0146). Our study implied that higher PNI and lower BNP level had direct correlation with better survival after HTx. Combining PNI and BNP together would be a potential clinical preoperative instrument to predict the survival of patients after HTx, especially in short-term survival.

Analysis of Brain Natriuretic Peptide Levels after Traumatic Acute Subdural Hematoma and the Risk of Post-Operative Cerebral Infarction.

Traumatic acute subdural hematoma (aSDH) is associated with a high mortality rate caused by post-operative cerebral infarction. Recently, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) was considered a reliable biomarker in the acute phase of traumatic brain injuries. We therefore aimed in this study to analyze BNP levels on admission, identify the predictors of their elevation, and assess the relationship between BNP and the risk of post-operative cerebral infarction. Patients with isolated, unilateral, traumatic aSDH who were admitted to our department between July 2017 and May 2020 were enrolled in this study. On admission, cranial computer tomography (CCT) and BNP sampling were simultaneously performed. Additionally, the time between head trauma and BNP sampling (TTS) was assessed. Admission radiographic variables included hematoma volumes, midline shift, and degree of brain edema. Cerebral infarction was detected on postoperative CCT. In total, 130 patients were included in this study. Surgical treatment was performed in 82.3% (n = 107) of cases. The multiple regression analysis showed that larger hematoma volumes (p = 0.032) and advanced age (p = 0.005) were independent predictors of elevated BNP when TTS <24 h. The binomial logistical regression analysis identified BNP with a cutoff value of <29.4 pg/mL (TTS = 3-12 h, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 16.5, p = 0.023) as an independent predictor of post-operative cerebral infarction. Elevated BNP levels in the first 24 h post-trauma were related to larger hematoma volumes and advanced age. Further, an increased risk of post-operative cerebral infarction was identified in patients with lower BNP levels in the post-traumatic period 3-12 h.

Stay Home! Stay Safe! First Post-Discharge Cardiologic Evaluation of Low-Risk–Low-BNP Heart Failure Patients in COVID-19 Era

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a deep impact on periodic outpatient evaluations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of low brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) values in predicting adverse events in heart failure (HF) patients in order to evaluate implications for safe delay of outpatient visits. Methods. This was a retrospective study. One-thousand patients (mean age: 72 ± 10 years, 561 women) with HF and BNP values <250 pg/mL at discharge were included. A 6-month follow-up was performed. The primary endpoint was a combination of deaths and readmissions for HF within 6-month after discharge. Results. At 6-month follow-up, 104 events (10.4%) were recorded (65 HF readmissions and 39 all-cause deaths). Univariate Cox analysis identified as significant predictors of outcome were age (p < 0.001, hazard ratio [HR] = 1.044), creatinine (p = 0.001, HR = 1.411), and BNP (p < 0.001, HR = 1.010). Multivariate Cox regression confirmed that BNP (p < 0.001, HR = 1.009), creatinine (p = 0.016, HR = 1.247), and age (p = 0.013, HR = 1.027) were independent predictors of events in HF patients with BNP values <250 pg/mL at discharge. Patients with BNP values >100 pg/mL and creatinine >1.0 mg/dL showed increased events rates (from 4.3% to 19.0%) as compared to those with lower values (p < 0.000, HR = 4.014). Conclusions. Low pre-discharge BNP levels were associated with low rates of cardiovascular events in HF patients, independently of the frequency of follow-up.

Body volume is the major determinant of worsening renal function in acutely decompensated heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction

AimsLittle is known about the relative importance of body volume and haemodynamic parameters in the development of worsening of renal function in acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF). To study the...

Efficacy of Beraprost Sodium Combined with Sildenafil and Its Effects on Vascular Endothelial Function and Inflammation in Patients Experiencing Left Heart Failure Complicated with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

BackgroundTo explore the efficacy of beraprost sodium combined with sildenafil and its effects on the vascular endothelial function and inflammation in left heart failure patients complicated with pulmonary arterial hypertension.Material/MethodsA total of 80 patients with left heart failure complicated with pulmonary arterial hypertension was enrolled as the subjects of this study and assigned into an observation group (n=40) and a control group (n=40) using a random number table. The changes in pulmonary arterial hypertension-associated indicators at 3 months after treatment and the alterations in the levels of cardiac function-associated biochemical indicator brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), inflammatory factor tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and mean pulmonary arterial pressure during treatment were compared between the 2 groups.ResultsAt 3 months after treatment, the pulmonary arterial hypertension-associated indicators human urotensin II and calcitonin gene-related peptide in the observation group were lower and higher, respectively, than those in control group. Moreover, the observation group had significantly lower BNP and TNF-α levels and mean pulmonary arterial pressure than the control group. After intervention, the echocardiographic parameters left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), cardiac output (CO), and stroke volume (SV) in both groups were significantly higher than those before intervention, and the observation group had significantly higher LVEF, SV, and CO than the control group after intervention.ConclusionsBeraprost sodium combined with sildenafil for left heart failure complicated with pulmonary arterial hypertension can effectively improve pulmonary arterial hypertension, alleviate left heart failure, and reduce inflammatory responses, thereby achieving better clinical efficacy in patients.

Assessing for a Differential Treatment Effect with Nesiritide by Body Mass Index

Introduction Visceral fat is associated with increased clearance of natriuretic peptides. As such, a brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) deficiency has been observed in obese patients, both healthy individuals and those with cardiovascular disease. This study investigated if obese patients with heart failure (HF) exhibited a differential response to nesiritide, a BNP analogue, compared with non-obese patients with regards to reduction of symptoms and clinical outcomes in the ASCEND-HF (Acute Study of Clinical Effectiveness if Nesiritide and Decompensated Heart Failure) trial. Hypothesis Due to enhanced BNP clearance, obese patients with acutely decompensated HF will exhibit a reduced response to nesiritide with regards to dyspnea relief and clinical outcomes. Methods We described baseline congestion phenotype and dyspnea at 6 and 24 hours (not moderately or markedly better) by body mass index (BMI) category ( 35 kg/m2). We assessed for an interaction between BMI (as a categorical variable and continuous measure) and treatment (nesiritide vs. placebo) for the endpoints of 6-hour and 24-hour dyspnea and 30-day rehospitalization or all-cause mortality. We used random-intercept multilevel logistic regression models including pre-specified adjustment covariates, treatment and the BMI x treatment interaction. Results Of the 7,141 patients with HF (including both reduced and preserved ejection fraction), we examined 7077 patients (99%) with baseline BMI data. Among the 7,077 patients, 4,506 (63.7%) had BMI 35 kg/m2. Baseline NT-proBNP levels were lower among patients with higher BMI (median of 5,261 vs. 3633 vs. 2,663 pg/mL, respectively, p 35 had less baseline pulmonary congestion and more peripheral edema. Patients with BMI >35 had more persistent dyspnea at 6 and 24 hours compared to patients with BMI 0.4) (Table). Conclusions Compared with non-obese patients, obese patients with acute HF had lower BNP levels and a different phenotype of congestion as well as more persistent dyspnea at 6 and 24 hours. There was no evidence of a differential treatment effect with nesiritide based on obesity status.

Prognostic impact of a novel index of nutrition and inflammation for patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

Malnutrition and systemic inflammation are associated with poor outcomes in patients with heart failure. Recent studies have reported that the advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI), derived from the body mass index (BMI), serum albumin level, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), is associated with poor prognosis in several types of cancers. Each marker is also known to prognostic factor of heart failure. Therefore, we hypothesized that ALI may be useful for determining the prognosis of patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). We reviewed survival in 381 consecutive patients (age, 73.1 ± 11.4years, 59% men) who were hospitalized for ADHF and discharged. ALI at discharge, calculated as BMI × albumin level/NLR, was used to divide the patients into tertiles (ALI < 23.88, 23.88 ≤ ALI < 42.43, and ALI ≥ 42.43). The patients were also stratified into six groups according to the ALI tertiles and median concentration (177pg/mL) of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). The primary endpoint comprised all-cause mortality and readmission because of heart failure. The median follow-up duration was 363days (interquartile range: 147-721days), and 166 patients (44%) experienced the primary endpoint. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the event rate decreased progressively from the first to the third ALI tertile (52%, 48%, and 31%, respectively; p = 0.0013). In a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, the first tertile was an independent prognostic factor for the primary endpoint (third vs. first tertile: hazard ratio, 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.34-0.95; p = 0.031). The hazard ratio for the primary endpoint for the patients with high BNP and first tertile ALI relative to the patients with low BNP and third tertile ALI was 5.3 (95% confidence interval, 2.9-9.5; p < 0.001). ALI at discharge, a novel andsimple index of nutrition and inflammation, may be useful for risk stratification and predicting the prognosis of patients with ADHF.

D-dimer and C-reactive Protein as Potential Biomarkers for Diagnosis of Trousseau's Syndrome in Patients with Cerebral Embolism

BackgroundDifferentiating stroke due to Trousseau's syndrome from other types of cerebral embolism is challenging, especially in patients with occult cancer. The current study aimed to determine predicting factors and biomarkers of stroke due to Trousseau's syndrome. MethodsThis retrospective study comprised 496 consecutive patients with acute cerebral embolism, including 19, 85, 310, and, 82 patients with stroke due to Trousseau's syndrome, artery-to-artery embolism, cardioembolic stroke, and embolic stroke with undetermined source, respectively. All patients were evaluated within 72 hours of onset. The clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, and patterns on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) were compared among the groups. ResultsPlasma D-dimer and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were significantly higher in the Trousseau's syndrome than in the other causes of cerebral embolism. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that female sex, multiple lesions on DWI, high D-dimer and CRP levels, and low platelet and low brain natriuretic peptide levels were independent predictors that could distinguish Trousseau's syndrome from the other causes of cerebral embolism. The cutoff values of D-dimer and CRP to identify stroke due to Trousseau's syndrome was 2.68 µg/mL fibrinogen equivalent units and .29 mg/dL, respectively. ConclusionsThe elevated D-dimer and CRP levels on admission in addition to specific clinical features may be useful for diagnosis of Trousseau's syndrome in patients with cerebral embolism.

P1030Elevated baseline brain natriuretic peptide level was associated with poor outcome after multiple catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Abstract Background Serum Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) level is associated with various cardiovascular events. Because elevated BNP level reflects increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and LA pressure promoting left atrial (LA) remodeling, BNP level might be associated with the extent of arrhythmogenic substrate in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We hypothesized that elevated BNP level has impact on outcome after catheter ablation (CA) for AF. Purpose We investigated the impact of baseline BNP level on outcome after multiple CA for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), and assessed the association between baseline BNP level and extent of LA remodeling. Methods This was a retrospective, single-center observational study. A total of 287 patients who underwent CA for PAF in our institute from March 2012 to March 2014. All patients had dataset of baseline BNP level and LA volume measured by multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) in sinus rhythm. First we performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for recurrence after multiple CA and obtained the best cut-off value of BNP. Patients were divided into Low BNP and High BNP group based on BNP cut-off value, and AF-free survival was analyzed with log-rank test. To assess the impact of BNP level on recurrence, multivariate Cox regression model were performed. Finally, we assessed the extent of baseline LA remodeling in low BNP and high BNP group. Results During follow-up period, AF recurred in 65/287 patients (26.2%) after multiple CA procedure (follow up 3.4 [2.2, 4.0] years, total number of sessions: 1.39±0.63). Patients with recurrence had greater baseline BNP than those without recurrence (99.8 pg/mL [30.0, 128] vs. 60.7 pg/mL [17.3, 80.8], recurrence vs. no-recurrence, P&lt;0.05). In ROC analysis, baseline BNP had mild accuracy for the prediction of recurrence (AUC: 0.63, P=0.002, best cut-off value: 57.3 pg/mL). We divided patients into High BNP group (BNP≥57.3, N=106) and Low BNP group (BNP&lt;57.3, N=181). AF-free survival was higher in Low BNP than in High BNP (Figure 1) (83.4% vs. 67.0%, Low vs. High, P&lt;0.001). After adjustment with age, gender, hypertension, heart failure, body mass index, LA diameter and LV ejection fraction, High BNP (BNP≥57.3) was associated with recurrence (Hazard ratio: 2.31, 95% CI 1.42–3.75, P&lt;0.001). In baseline parameters of LA remodeling measured with MDCT, Low BNP group had higher LA emptying fraction (41.7±9.5 vs. 32.0±8.5%, Low vs. High, P&lt;0.001) and lower indexed maximum LA volume (48.5±12.0 vs. 61.3±16.7 mL/m2, P&lt;0.001) (Figure 2). Conclusion Baseline serum BNP level was associated with recurrence after multiple procedures for PAF. The baseline extent of LA remodeling was greater in High BNP than in Low BNP. Elevated BNP level might reflect the severe LA remodeling causing ablation-refractory AF even after multiple CA. The preoperative assessment of BNP might be helpful for prediction of multiple CA outcome.