Prognostic Importance of Natriuretic Peptides and Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Receiving Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of natriuretic peptides and atrial fibrillation (AF) on response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study included 338 consecutive CRT patients. Response to CRT was defined as a reduction in left ventricular end-systolic volume of ≥15% in the absence of death at 6-month follow-up. During follow-up (27 ± 19 months), 139 patients (41%) had AF, being new onset in 40 patients (21%). Forty-two patients (12%) had permanent AF. Response to CRT was observed in 168 of 302 patients (56%): 60 of 123 patients (43%) with AF vs. 108 of 179 patients (60%) without AF (P = 0.047). Low baseline atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) [odds ratio for log(2) ANP 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35-0.68, P < 0.001] and large left ventricular end-systolic volume (odds ratio for every 50 mL 1.40, 95% CI 1.09-1.79, P = 0.009) were independent predictors of response. Neither the presence of AF nor the increase in AF burden independently predicted response. Ninety patients (27%) died; 50 patients (36%) with AF vs. 40 patients (20%) without AF (log rank P = 0.029). Important predictors of all-cause mortality were new-onset AF (hazard ratio 8.11, 95% CI 3.31-19.85, P < 0.001), permanent AF (hazard ratio 3.19, 95% CI 1.61-6.30, P = 0.001), and baseline N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) (hazard ratio for log(2) NT-proBNP 0.77, 95% CI 0.66-0.90, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: In patients treated with CRT, lower ANP and larger left ventricular end-systolic volume were independent predictors of response. New-onset AF, permanent AF, and NT-proBNP were independently associated with increased all-cause mortality.