ASN's Mission

To create a world without kidney diseases, the ASN Alliance for Kidney Health elevates care by educating and informing, driving breakthroughs and innovation, and advocating for policies that create transformative changes in kidney medicine throughout the world.

learn more

Contact ASN

1401 H St, NW, Ste 900, Washington, DC 20005

email@asn-online.org

202-640-4660

The Latest on X

Kidney Week

Abstract: FR-PO1161

N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) and Clinical Outcomes in Asymptomatic Individuals with and Without CKD

Session Information

Category: CKD (Non-Dialysis)

  • 2301 CKD (Non-Dialysis): Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention

Authors

  • Mahabir, Virender Satyam Deepak, University Hospitals Health System, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
  • Harper, Elleson, University Hospitals Health System, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
  • Dweekat, Mo'tasem Zuhier (M. R.), University Hospitals Health System, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
  • Negrea, Lavinia Aura, University Hospitals Health System, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
  • Rahman, Mahboob, University Hospitals Health System, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
  • Dobre, Mirela A., University Hospitals Health System, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Background

NT-proBNP is a biomarker of myocardial stress commonly used to screen for heart failure (HF), but its interpretation in patients with CKD is complicated by reduced renal clearance. Currently, there is no consensus on optimal NT-proBNP thresholds across CKD stages. This study evaluated the association between NT-proBNP levels and incident HF and all-cause mortality in asymptomatic adults with and without CKD.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX database (>160 million US patients). Adults aged ≥18 years with available NT-proBNP levels and at least 5 years of follow-up were included. Individuals with known cardiovascular disease, including HF, or structural heart disease were excluded. Participants were stratified into three NT-proBNP categories (≤ 125 [low], 126-450 [middle], and > 450 pg/ml [high]) and CKD status (eGFR < 60 vs ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73m2). Outcomes included new onset HF and all-cause mortality at 1 and 5 years. Propensity score matching was used to adjust for baseline differences.

Results

Among individuals in the low and middle NT-proBNP groups, there were no significant differences at 1 year between CKD and non-CKD groups in HF incidence or mortality. However, at 5 years, risks were significantly higher in CKD patients for both HF (OR 1.87 [95% CI 1.14–3.07] and 1.64 [1.18–2.29]) and mortality (OR 1.76 [1.23–2.54] and 1.48 [1.17–1.87]) in the low and middle NT-proBNP groups, respectively.
In the high NT-proBNP group, CKD patients had significantly worse outcomes at both 1 and 5 years. At 1 year, HF (OR 1.95 [1.61–2.38]) and mortality (OR 1.38 [1.22–1.57]) were higher in CKD patients, with similar findings at 5 years (HF OR 1.84 [1.57–2.16], mortality OR 1.87 [1.68–2.08]).

Conclusion

In asymptomatic individuals, NT-proBNP predicted incident HF and mortality risk regardless of CKD status, with outcomes worsening incrementally at higher levels. One-year outcomes were similar between CKD and non-CKD patients when NT-proBNP was <450 pg/mL, but values ≥451 pg/mL were associated with significantly worse outcomes at both 1 and 5 years. These findings support NT-proBNP as a prognostic tool in CKD, with eGFR not diminishing its predictive value.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)