Key result
An NT-proBNP cutoff of 9248 pg/mL detected reduced left ventricular ejection fraction in preterm infants with 71.4% sensitivity, 60.8% specificity, and an AUC of 0.623 (95% CI 0.487-0.760).
Why the study?
NT-proBNP aids heart failure diagnosis in adults, but its use for the early detection of reduced cardiac ejection fraction in preterm infants has rarely been reported.
Can NT-proBNP levels be used for the early detection of reduced left ventricular ejection fraction in preterm infants?
Observational (n=68)
No
Can NT-proBNP levels be used for the early detection of reduced left ventricular ejection fraction in preterm infants?
An NT-proBNP serum level of 9248 pg/mL may be a useful biomarker for the early detection of reduced ejection fraction in preterm infants, optimally assessed after 2 days of life.
NT-proBNP may aid early detection of reduced EF in preterm infants; leaves open optimal timing and clinical utility pending prospective trials.
Background/Objective: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a cardiac natriuretic hormone that cardiomyocytes release in response to ventricular stretch. It helps with the diagnosis of heart failure in adults, but this application in preterm infants has rarely been reported. This study aimed to evaluate whether NT-proBNP could be used for the early detection of reduced cardiac ejection fraction in preterm infants and the optimal timing for NT-proBNP assessment. Design/Methods: This prospective, single-center, observational study enrolled all preterm infants with NT-proBNP measurements from October 2014 to February 2022. They underwent echocardiographic examinations within 48 h of the NT-proBNP measurements. Reduced left ventricular ejection fraction was defined as below 60%. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to assess the optimal NT-proBNP cutoff point for the early prediction of reduced cardiac ejection fraction. Results: A total of 68 preterm infants were enrolled, with a total of 134 NT-proBNP measurements being available for analysis. Reduced left ventricular ejection fraction was present in seven infants (10.3%) due to various underlying diseases. The NT-proBNP cutoff level for detecting reduced left ventricular ejection fraction was 9248 pg/mL, with 71.4% sensitivity and 60.8% specificity; the area under the curve was 0.623 (95% CI: 0.487~0.760). The threshold for the optimal postnatal age for applying NT-proBNP to detect reduced left ventricular ejection fraction was >2 days of life (AUC: 0.682; 95% CI: 0.518~0.845), with 70% sensitivity and 67.1% specificity. Conclusions: Although the NT-proBNP levels declined dramatically after birth, a NT-proBNP serum level of 9248 pg/mL might be helpful for the early detection of reduced ejection fraction in preterm infants, and the optimal age for detection was after 2 days of life.
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Lin et al. (2022) conducted an observational in Reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (n=68). NT-proBNP assessment was evaluated on Reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (<60%) (AUC 0.623, 95% CI 0.487-0.760). An NT-proBNP cutoff of 9248 pg/mL detected reduced left ventricular ejection fraction in preterm infants with 71.4% sensitivity, 60.8% specificity, and an AUC of 0.623 (95% CI 0.487-0.760).
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