Baseline NT-proBNP and responsiveness to autonomic regulation therapy in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction.

Background: Recent heart failure studies have associated lower baseline natriuretic peptide levels with improved morbidity/mortality outcomes during pharmaceutical treatment, and better clinical outcomes during neuromodulation (NM) with carotid nerve plexus stimulation for HFrEF when NT-proBNP < 1600 pg/ml. Whether baseline NT-proBNP is associated with HFrEF responsiveness to NM using vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has not been examined. Hence, we evaluated the interaction of baseline NT-proBNP with changes in symptoms and function that occurred during chronic VNS in the ANTHEM-HF study.