Higher NT proBNP levels strongly predicted incident atrial fibrillation across diverse demographic groups, with an adjusted HR of 2.2 (95% CI 1.9-2.5) per ln-transformed unit.
Cohort (n=5,518)
Does NT-proBNP predict incident atrial fibrillation across different age, sex, and racial/ethnic groups?
NT-proBNP is a robust predictor of incident atrial fibrillation across diverse racial and ethnic groups, with stronger prognostic value in younger patients and women.
Hazard Ratio: 2.2 (95% CI 1.9–2.5)
OBJECTIVE: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common source of medical costs, morbidity and mortality. NT pro-brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a remarkably strong predictor of AF in older whites; we aimed to assess if this biomarker was as predictive in other racial groups. DESIGN: We used covariate-adjusted Cox model regressions to estimate the HRs of developing AF as a function of NT proBNP, and tested for interactions of NT proBNP with age, gender and race/ethnicity. SETTING: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). PATIENTS: 5518 subjects were followed over a median of 7.6 years. During this time, 267 developed AF. RESULTS: NT proBNP was statistically significantly associated with incident AF; for ln NT proBNP, the adjusted HR was 2.2 (95% CI 1.9 to 2.5). Assessed by quintiles, the relationship between NT proBNP was strong and graded; the unadjusted HR for the highest quintile of NT proBNP was 23.7 (95% CI 11.1 to 50.6) and adjusted was 11.4 (95% CI 5.1 to 25.3). NT proBNP was an excellent predictor of incident AF in the younger and older age groups, in men and women and in the different race/ethnicity groups: the HR for ln NT proBNP as a predictor of incident AF ranged from 2.0 to 3.9 in each subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: NT proBNP is a robust predictor of incident AF; its prognostic value is more significant in younger patients and women compared with older patients and men. NT proBNP was also as strongly predictive in black patients, Hispanics and Asian/Chinese as in white patients despite a lower incidence of arrhythmia.
Patton et al. (Wed,) conducted a cohort in Atrial fibrillation (n=5,518). NT proBNP vs. Lower NT proBNP levels was evaluated on incident AF (HR 2.2, 95% CI 1.9-2.5). Higher NT proBNP levels strongly predicted incident atrial fibrillation across diverse demographic groups, with an adjusted HR of 2.2 (95% CI 1.9-2.5) per ln-transformed unit.