The impact of renal function on the prognostic value of N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide in patients with coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND: The impact of renal function on the prognostic value of N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) remains unclear in coronary artery disease (CAD). This study sought to investigate the value of using NT-proBNP level to predict prognoses of CAD patients with different estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted from a single registered database. 2087 consecutive patients with CAD confirmed by coronary angiography were enrolled. The primary endpoint was allcause mortality. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 26.4 ± 11.9 months and death events occurred in 197 cases. The NT-proBNP levels increased with the deterioration of renal function, as well as the optimal cutoff values based on eGFR stratification to predict endpoint outcome (179.4 pg/mL, 1443.0 pg/mL, 3478.0 pg/mL, for eGFR ≥ 90, 60–90 and < 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2), respectively). Compared with the routine cut-off value or overall optimal one, stratified optimal ones had superior predictive ability for endpoint in each eGFR group (all with the highest Youden’s J statistics). And the prognostic value became weaker as eGFR level decreased (eGFR ≥ 90 vs. 60–90 vs. < 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2), odds ratio [OR] 7.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7–33.9 vs. OR 4.8; 95% CI 2.7–8.5 vs. OR 3.0; 95% CI 1.5–6.2). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that NT-proBNP exhibits different predictive values for prognosis for CAD patients with different levels of renal function. Among the assessed values, the NT-proBNP cut-off value determined using renal function improve the accuracy of the prognosis prediction of CAD. Moreover, lower eGFR is associated with a higher NT-proBNP cut-off value for prognostic prediction. (Cardiol J 2019; 26, 6: 696–703)