NT-proBNP values in elderly heart failure patients with atrial fibrillation and diabetes

Aim: To evaluate N-terminal pro-BNP-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) plasmatic levels in heart failure patients with/without atrial fibrillation (AFib) and with/without diabetes (DM). Methods: The study enrolled 120 patients with heart failure, age 71.26 +/- 9.14,48.3% AFib and 30.8% with DM. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to the presence or absence of AFib and DM: group 1, 46 patients in sinus rhythm (SR) without DM; group 2,16 patients in SR with DM; group 3,37 patients with AFib and without DM; group 4, 21 patients with both AFib and DM. Results: The patients in SR with DM displayed lower NT-proBNP levels than those with AFib without DM (1196.75 +/- 1183.11 vs 1940.59 +/- 963.665, p = 0.02). We recorded no significant difference in comparison with the patients who had both AFib and DM (1196.75 +/- 1183.11 vs 1452.67 +/- 1257.94, p = NS). There was no significant difference between groups 3 and 4. Statistically significant correlations between ejection fraction, namely NYHA class and NT-proBNP levels were recorded only in the patients in SR-group 1 (r = -0.42, p < 0.01) and group 2 (r = -0.66, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Correlations between plasma NT-proBNP levels and ejection fraction, namely NYHA class, were evinced only in patients in SR. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.