Prognostic value of short-term follow-up B-type natriuretic peptide levels after hospital discharge in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are associated with heart failure and mortality. However, the role of BNP after hospital discharge is not clear. Therefore, we assessed the relationship between short-term follow-up BNP levels and clinical outcomes including all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with AMI after hospital discharge.

Methods: From a prospective single-center percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) registry, a total of 442 out of 2157 patients with AMI who had measurements for both initial and follow-up BNP levels within 2 months after discharge were retrospectively enrolled. Patients were divided into 4 groups (low-low, high-low, low-high, and high-high) according to their follow-up log-transformed BNP median values.

Results: The median follow-up period was 441 days (interquartile range [IQR], 362-861 days). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that short-term follow-up BNP level was a significant predictor for all-cause mortality (odds ratio [OR], 2.265; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.455-3.527) and MACE (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.101-1.858) after adjustments for covariates. The initial BNP level did not predict both all-cause mortality and MACE. The group with high initial and high follow-up BNP levels was significantly associated with all-cause mortality (OR, 3.465; 95% CI, 1.122-10.700).

Conclusions: Short-term follow-up BNP level after hospital discharge was a powerful prognostic marker for all-cause mortality and MACE in patients with AMI. The combination of short-term follow-up BNP level with initial BNP level was a better predictor of all-cause mortality.