Relationship among body mass index, NT-proBNP, and mortality in decompensated chronic heart failure

• Published in: Heart & lung Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 172 - 177
• Main Authors: Scrutinio, Domenico, MD, Passantino, Andrea, MD, Guida, Pietro, PHD, Ammirati, Enrico, MD, Oliva, Fabrizio, MD, Sarzi Braga, Simona, MD, La Rovere, Maria Teresa, MD, Lagioia, Rocco, MD, Frigerio, Maria, MD, Di Somma, Salvatore, MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2017
• Subjects: Aged; Body Mass Index; Cardiovascular; Critical Care; Decompensated chronic heart failure; Female; Heart Failure - blood; Heart Failure - complications; Heart Failure - mortality; Humans; Italy - epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Mortality; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain - blood; Natriuretic peptides; Obesity - blood; Obesity - complications; Peptide Fragments - blood; Prognosis; Pulmonary/Respiratory; Retrospective Studies; Survival Rate - trends; Decompensated chronic heart failure; Body mass index; Prognosis; Mortality; Natriuretic peptides
• ISSN: 0147-9563; 1527-3288
• DOI: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2017.01.005

Abstract Background Obesity has been suggested to confer a survival benefit in acute heart failure. The concentrations of NT-proBNP may be reduced in patients with high body mass index (BMI). Objectives To investigate the relationship among BMI, NT-proBNP, and mortality risk in decompensated chronic heart failure (DCHF). Methods This was a retrospective study. We studied 1001 patients with DCHF. Hazard ratios (HR) were calculated with Cox regression analysis. Results During the 1-year follow-up, 295 patients died. Compared with normal-weight patients, the unadjusted HR for death were 1.02 (95% CIs 0.79–1.33; p  = 0.862) for patients with a BMI of 25.0–29.9 kg/m2 and 0.83 (95% CIs 0.61–1.12; p  = 0.213) for patients with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 . NT-proBNP remained independently associated with mortality across the BMI categories. There was no statistically significant interaction between BMI and NT-proBNP levels for risk prediction. Conclusions Obesity was not associated with mortality risk. NT-proBNP remained an independent prognostic factor across the BMI categories.