Atrial fibrillation and amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide as independent predictors of prognosis in systolic heart failure

BackgroundSurvival of patients with systolic heart failure (HF) may be influenced by the presence of chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) and circulating concentrations of B-type natriuretic peptides. In this study, we sought to assess the prognostic value of chronic AF in comparison to those of amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) plasma levels and of echocardiographic parameters among HF patients of the entire study population and in those with AF.MethodsPlasma NT-proBNP levels and echocardiography were prospectively assessed in 489 patients with chronic systolic HF (LV ejection fraction ≤ 45%) in sinus rhythm or AF (16%). Follow-up duration was 26 ± 15 months.ResultsPatients with AF were older (p < 0.0001), had a worse NYHA class (p = 0.002) and higher NT-proBNP levels (p < 0.0001) than those in sinus rhythm. Presence of AF (HR [hazards ratio]: 2.01, p = 0.013) and plasma NT-proBNP (HR: 3.05, p < 0.0001) were the only independent predictors of all-cause mortality. At receiver operating characteristic analyses, the threshold level for outcome prediction of NT-proBNP was higher in patients with AF (3883 pg/ml) than in patients in sinus rhythm (1653 pg/ml). Multivariate analysis performed in patients with HF and AF showed that plasma NT-proBNP was the most important predictor of death after statistic adjustment for age.ConclusionsChronic AF and NT-proBNP independently predicted the outcome of patients with HF. The threshold level of NT-proBNP for outcome prediction was different in patients with AF with respect to those in sinus rhythm. NT-proBNP was the most important independent predictor of all-cause mortality in HF patients with AF.