The prognostic value of pro-B-Type natriuretic peptide in acute pulmonary embolism

Cardiac Troponin I but Not N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Predicts Outcomes in Cardiogenic Shock

This study investigates the prognostic value of cardiac troponin I (cTNI) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS). Data regarding the prognostic value of cardiac biomarkers in CS is scarce, furthermore, most studies were restricted to CS patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Therefore, consecutive patients with CS from 2019 to 2021 were included. Blood samples were retrieved from day of disease onset (day 1) and on days 2, 3 and 4 thereafter. The prognostic value of cTNI and NT-proBNP levels was tested for 30-day all-cause mortality. Statistical analyses included univariable t-tests, Spearman's correlations, Kaplan-Meier analyses and multivariable Cox proportional regression analyses. A total of 217 CS patients were included with an overall rate of all-cause mortality of 56% at 30 days. CTNI was able to discriminate 30-day non-survivors (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.669; p = 0.001), whereas NT-proBNP (AUC = 0.585; p = 0.152) was not. The risk of 30-day all-cause mortality was higher in patients with cTNI levels above the median (70% vs. 43%; log rank p = 0.001; HR = 2.175; 95% CI 1.510-3.132; p = 0.001), which was observed both in patients with (71% vs. 49%; log rank p = 0.012) and without AMI-related CS (69% vs. 40%; log rank p = 0.005). The prognostic impact of cTNI was confirmed after multivariable adjustment (HR = 1.915; 95% CI 1.298-2.824; p = 0.001). In conclusion, cTNI-but not NT-proBNP-levels discriminated 30-day all-cause mortality in CS patients.

Derivation and Validation of a Prognostic Model for Mortality in Chinese Patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism

INTRODUCTION

We aim to explore the risk factors for in-hospital mortality and to derive a prognostic model for patients with APE in China.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Inpatients with APE were enrolled from West China Hospital between January 2016 and December 2019. Logistic regression analyses were used to explore risk factors for in-hospital mortality and develop a prognostic model.

RESULTS

A total of 813 subjects with APE were included in this study, of whom 542 were in the training set and 271 were in the test set. Multivariable regression analyses indicated that age, male, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, elevated NT-proBNP or troponin T, malignancy, chronic renal insufficiency, and respiratory failure were independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality. For the training set, the area under the curve (AUC) of the ROC curve was 0.899, with a sensitivity and specificity of 89.7% and 77.7%, respectively. The model had higher prediction accuracy than the PESI and sPESI.

CONCLUSIONS

The prediction model has proven excellent discrimination and calibration, which may be a useful tool to help physicians make decisions regarding the best treatment strategy.

Predictive Value of MPV and Plasma NT-ProBNP Combined with the Simplified Geneva Scale for the Prognosis of Acute Pulmonary Embolism

OBJECTIVE

To explore the predictive value of mean platelet volume (MPV) and plasma N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-ProBNP) combined with a simplified Geneva scale for the prognosis of acute pulmonary embolism (APE).

METHODS

The clinical data of 68 patients with APE admitted to our hospital from October 2017 to October 2019 were collected. According to the prognosis, the patients were divided into a good prognosis group (n = 45) and a poor prognosis group (n = 23). The clinical data, laboratory clinical indexes, and simplified Geneva scale scores were recorded for the two groups. The risk factors of poor prognosis were analyzed by binary multivariate logistic regression analysis; the predictive ability of each index on the prognosis of patients with APE was analyzed by the ROC curve.

RESULTS

The incidences of deep vein thrombosis, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia in the poor prognosis group were higher than those in the good prognosis group (P < 0.05). PLT, platelet distribution width (PDW), MPV, and plasma NT-ProBNP in the poor prognosis group were higher than those in the good prognosis group (P < 0.05). The simplified Geneva scale score of the poor prognosis group was higher than that of the good prognosis group (P < 0.05). PDW, MPV, plasma NT-ProBNP, and simplified Geneva scale were all independent risk factors for the poor prognosis of APE patients (P < 0.05). The AUC of MPV in predicting the prognosis of APE patients was 0.818 (95% CI: 0.712-0.925). When the optimal cutoff value was 0.571, the sensitivity was 77.1%, and the specificity was 80.0%. The AUC of plasma NT-ProBNP in predicting the prognosis of APE patients was 0.762 (95% CI: 0.634-0.891). When the optimal cutoff value was 0.475, the sensitivity was 71.5%, and the specificity was 76.0%. The AUC of the simplified Geneva scale in predicting the prognosis of APE patients was 0.749 (95% CI: 0.618-0.879). When the optimal cutoff value was 0.469, the sensitivity was 82.9%, and the specificity was 64.0%. The AUC of MPV and plasma NT-ProBNP combined with the simplified Geneva scale in predicting the prognosis of APE patients was 0.907 (95% CI: 0.826-0.988). When the optimal cutoff value was 0.726, the sensitivity was 88.6%, and the specificity was 84.0%.

CONCLUSION

MPV, plasma NT-ProBNP, and simplified Geneva scale have a certain predictive value for the prognosis of APE. Compared with a single index, the combination of the three indexes has a significant improvement in predicting the prognosis of APE and has better clinical value.

Joint analysis of D-dimer, N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide, and cardiac troponin I on predicting acute pulmonary embolism relapse and mortality

Previous studies on the adverse events of acute pulmonary embolism (APE) were mostly limited to single marker, and short follow-up duration, from hospitalization to up to 30 days. We aimed to predict the long-term prognosis of patients with APE by joint assessment of D-dimer, N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-ProBNP), and troponin I (cTnI). Newly diagnosed patients of APE from January 2011 to December 2015 were recruited from three hospitals. Medical information of the patients was collected retrospectively by reviewing medical records. Adverse events (APE recurrence and all-cause mortality) of all enrolled patients were followed up via telephone. D-dimer > 0.50 mg/L, NT-ProBNP > 500 pg/mL, and cTnI > 0.40 ng/mL were defined as the abnormal. Kaplan–Meier curve was used to compare the cumulative survival rate between patients with different numbers of abnormal markers. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to further test the association between numbers of abnormal markers and long-term prognosis of patients with APE after adjusting for potential confounding. During follow-up, APE recurrence and all-cause mortality happened in 78 (30.1%) patients. The proportion of APE recurrence and death in one abnormal marker, two abnormal markers, and three abnormal markers groups were 7.69%, 28.21%, and 64.10% respectively. Patients with three abnormal markers had the lowest survival rate than those with one or two abnormal markers (Log-rank test, P < 0.001). After adjustment, patients with two or three abnormal markers had a significantly higher risk of the total adverse event compared to those with one abnormal marker. The hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) were 6.27 (3.24, 12.12) and 10.7 (4.1, 28.0), respectively. Separate analyses for APE recurrence and all-cause death found similar results. A joint test of abnormal D-dimer, NT-ProBNP, and cTnI in APE patients could better predict the long-term risk of APE recurrence and all-cause mortality.

Impact of renal function on the prognosis of acute pulmonary embolism patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

We conduct a study to explore the influence of impaired renal function on prognosis in Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) patients.

METHODS

A meta-analysis was performed using the EMBASE and PubMed databases for relevant publications reporting the impact of impaired renal function on the clinical outcomes in patients with APE.

RESULTS

Eventually, 17 articles were included in our analysis. The results suggested that renal insufficiency (RI) is a predictor of poor prognosis in APE patients(short-term mortality: pooled OR = 2.83, 95%CI: 2.20-3.63; long-term mortality: pooled OR = 2.30, 95%CI: 1.72-3.08; adverse outcomes: pooled OR = 3.02, 95%CI: 2.60-3.51). The short-term and long-term mortality rates of APE patients with RI were both higher than those in patients without RI. In addition, acute kidney injury(AKI) could serve as a predictive factor of poor prognosis (pooled OR = 2.75, 95%CI: 2.45-3.08), and it doubles the overall mortality rate in APE patients. However, chronic kidney disease (CKD) did not predict poor prognosis in APE patients (pooled OR = 1.94, 95%CI: 0.99-3.81), although it could slightly increase the overall mortality rate in APE patients.

CONCLUSIONS

RI and AKI could be included in the prognosis evaluation for APE, but the impact of CKD in APE patients has yet to be determined.

Factors associated with plasma antigen carbohydrate 125 and amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentrations in acute heart failure

Background:

Plasma amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and antigen carbohydrate 125 levels are positively associated with a higher risk of adverse clinical outcomes in acute heart failure. As a proxy of congestion, antigen carbohydrate 125 has also been proposed as a right-sided heart failure marker. Thus, we aimed to determine in this population the main factors – including echocardiographic right-sided heart failure parameters – associated with antigen carbohydrate 125 and amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide.

Methods and results:

We prospectively included 2949 patients admitted with acute heart failure. Amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and antigen carbohydrate 125 were used as dependent variables in a multivariable linear regression analysis. The mean age of the sample was 73.9±11.1 years; 48.9% were female, 35.8% showed ischaemic aetiology, and 51.6% exhibited heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The median (interquartile range) for amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and antigen carbohydrate 125 were 4840 (2111–9204) pg/ml and 58 (26–129) U/ml, respectively. In a multivariable setting, and ranked in order of importance (R2), estimated glomerular filtration rate (43.7%), left ventricle ejection fraction (15.1%), age (12.4%) and high-sensitivity troponin T (10.9%) emerged as the most important factors associated with amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide. The five main factors associated with antigen carbohydrate 125 were, in order of importance: the presence of pleural effusion (36.8%), tricuspid regurgitation severity (25.1%), age (11.9%), amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (6.5%) and peripheral oedema (4.3%).

Conclusion:

In patients with acute heart failure the main factors associated with amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide were renal dysfunction, left ventricle ejection fraction and age. For antigen carbohydrate 125, clinical parameters of congestion and the severity of tricuspid regurgitation were the most important predictors. These results endorse the value of antigen carbohydrate 125 as a useful marker of right-sided heart failure.

Value of the Delta Neutrophil Index for Predicting 28-Day Mortality in Patients With Acute Pulmonary Embolism in the Emergency Department

PURPOSE

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE), frequently seen in the emergency department (ED), is a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The delta neutrophil index (DNI) reflects the fraction of circulating immature granulocytes as a component of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria. The pathogenesis of acute PE is significantly associated with inflammation. The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical usefulness of the DNI as a marker of severity in patients with acute PE admitted to the ED.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients who were diagnosed with acute PE at a single ED, admitted from January 1, 2011 to June 30, 2017. The diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism was confirmed using clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings. The DNI was determined at presentation. The clinical outcome was all-cause mortality within 28 days of emergency department admission.

RESULTS

We included 447 patients in this study. The multivariate Cox regression model demonstrated that higher DNI values on ED admission were significantly associated with short-term mortality (hazard ratio, 1.107; 95% confidence interval, 1.042-1.177). The optimal cut-off DNI value, measured on ED admission, was 3.0%; this value was associated with an increased hazard of 28-day mortality following PE (HR, 7.447; 95% CI, 4.183-13.366; P < 0.001) CONCLUSION:: The DNI value, obtained as part of the complete blood count analysis, can be easily determined without additional burdens of cost or time. A high DNI is useful as a marker to predict 28-day mortality in patients with acute PE.

The predictive value of plasma osmolality for in-hospital mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Prior studies demonstrated that plasma osmolality may have a predictive value for in-hospital mortality in patients with heart failure and acute coronary syndrome. In addition, plasma glucose and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, the components of plasma osmolality, have been shown to be an important contributor for in-hospital mortality in acute pulmonary embolism (APE) patients. Hence, the objective of the current study is to evaluate the effect of plasma osmolality upon admission with in-hospital mortality in patients with APE.

METHODS

A total of 245 consecutive intermediate or high risk APE patients were enrolled into the study. The study population was divided into three tertile groups (T1, T2 and T3) based on the increased plasma osmolality. The in-hospital mortality was the primary end-point.

RESULTS

After adjusting for all risk factors, in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the T3 group compared to T1 and T2 groups (OR: 3.6, 95% CI: 1.3 to 18.8, P < .001). In addition, the incidence of asystolia, hypotension and cardiogenic shock were significantly higher in the T3 group. An area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value of plasma osmolality for the in-hospital mortality was 0.76 with sensitivity 67.2% and specificity 74.1% 95% CI: (0.66-0.87, P < .001).

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to demonstrate that elevated levels of plasma osmolality may have a predictive value for in-hospital mortality in APE patients. Our findings are novel and deserve further studies whether the treatment of higher plasma osmolality may reduce the risk of in-hospital mortality in APE patients.

NT-proBNP in the Prognosis of Death or Need for Renal Replacement Therapy in Patients with Stage 3-5 Chronic Kidney Disease

BACKGROUND

The risk of cardiovascular (CV) complications is much greater in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to assess predictors of mortality, renal failure progression, and the need for dialysis in patients with CKD.

METHODS

The study group consisted of 70 patients with stage 3-5 CKD, followed up on average for 33.4 ± 15.6 months. Laboratory tests and echocardiography were performed on all patients. Composite endpoints were defined as (1) all-cause mortality and (2) mortality or renal replacement therapy (RRT), defined as the initiation of dialysis therapy.

RESULTS

During the observation period, 13 patients died and 11 began dialysis therapy. NT-proBNP was found to be a significant predictor in receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for all study endpoints. The optimal cutoff value for NT-proBNP as a predictor of mortality was 569.8 pg/mL, with a sensitivity of 53.8% and a specificity of 89.1%. For mortality or RRT, the cutoff value for NT-proBNP was 384.9 pg/mL, with a sensitivity and specificity of 70.8 and 72.7%, respectively. In a multivariate regression analysis, NT-proBNP was an independent predictor of mortality with an OR = 7.5 (95% CI: 1.05-53.87; p = 0.044) and of mortality or RRT with an OR = 4.7 (95% CI: 1.01-22.66; p = 0.048).

CONCLUSIONS

NT-proBNP is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with CKD and can also be useful for CV risk stratification in this patient population.

Glomerular Filtration Rate as a Prognostic Factor for Long-Term Mortality after Acute Pulmonary Embolism

BACKGROUND

In-hospital mortality for patients presenting with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) has been reported to be up to 7 times higher for patients with decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). However, few studies have assessed its effect on long-term mortality.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the impact of eGFR and creatinine clearance (CrCl) on long-term all-cause mortality following acute PE in association with other routine laboratory analyses and comorbidities.

PATIENTS/METHODS

The prospective study enrolled 141 consecutive patients presenting with objectively confirmed acute PE. Demographic, clinical data, comorbidities, and laboratory values were recorded. CrCl and GFR were estimated using the Cockcroft-Gault, MDRD, and chronic kidney disease (CKD)-EPI equations. Patients were followed up at 90 days and 1 year after the event.

RESULTS

In univariate analyses, age, active cancer, PE severity index (PESI), CrCl and eGFR, D-dimer value, and high-density lipoprotein level were found to be significantly associated with mortality in 90 days and 1 year. Additionally, body mass index was significant in the 1-year follow-up. CrCl by Cockcroft-Gault (90-day: area under the curve [AUC] 0.763; 1-year: AUC 0.718) demonstrated higher discriminatory power for predicting mortality than eGFR by the MDRD (AUC 0.686; AUC 0.609) and CKD-EPI (AUC 0.697; AUC 0.630) equations. In multivariate analyses, active cancer, CrCl by Cockcroft-Gault (90-day: hazard ratio [HR] 0.948, 95% CI 0.919-0.979; 1-year: HR 0.967, 95% CI 0.943-0.991), eGFR by CKD-EPI (90-day: HR 0.948, 95% CI 0.915-0.983; 1-year: HR 0.971, 95% CI 0.945-0.998) were found to be independent predictors of mortality. eGFR by MDRD, D-dimer, and PESI value were significant prognostic factors for 90-day mortality.

CONCLUSION

Decreased renal function is a prognostic factor for increased all-cause mortality 90 days and 1 year after acute PE.

A novel prognostic indicator for in-hospital and 4-year outcomes in patients with pulmonary embolism: TIMI risk index

BACKGROUND

Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk index (TRI) was recently evaluated in patients with acute myocardial infarction and found as an important prognostic index. In the current study, we evaluated the prognostic value of TRI in patients with moderate-high and high risk pulmonary embolism (PE) who were treated with thrombolytic agents.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated the in-hospital and long-term (4-year) prognostic impact of TRI in a total number of 456 patients with moderate-high and high risk PE. Patients were stratified by quartiles (Q) of admission TRI.

RESULTS

In-hospital analysis revealed significantly higher rates of in-hospital death for patients with TRI in Q4. After adjustment for confounding baseline variables, TRI in Q4 was associated with 2.8-fold hazard of in-hospital death. Upon multivariate analysis, admission TRI in Q4 vs. Q1-3 was associated with 3.1 fold hazard of 4-year mortality rate.

CONCLUSION

TRI in Q4, as compared to Q1-3, was significantly predictive of short term and long-term outcomes in PE patients who treated with thrombolytic agents. Our data suggest TRI to be an independent, feasible, and cost-effective tool for rapid risk stratification in moderate-high and high risk PE patients who treated with thrombolytic agents.

Predictive value of the heart-type fatty acid-binding protein and the Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index in patients with acute pulmonary embolism in the emergency department

OBJECTIVES

Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (h-FABP), sensitive troponins, natriuretic peptides, and clinical scores such as the Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) are candidates for risk stratification of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). The aim was to compare their respective prognostic values to predict an adverse outcome at 1 month.

METHODS

The authors prospectively included 132 consecutive patients with confirmed acute PE. On admission to the emergency department (ED), plasma concentrations of h-FABP, sensitive cardiac troponin I-Ultra (cTnI-Ultra), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were measured and the PESI calculated in all patients. The combined 30-day outcomes of interest were death, cardiac arrest, mechanical ventilation, use of catecholamines, and recurrence of acute PE.

RESULTS

During the first 30 days, 14 (10.6%) patients suffered complications. Among the biomarkers, h-FABP above 6 μg/L was a stronger predictor of an unfavorable outcome (odds ratio [OR] = 17.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.2 to 73.3) than BNP > 100 pg/mL (OR = 5.7, 95% CI = 1.6 to 20.4) or cTnI-Ultra > 0.05 μg/L (OR = 3.4, 95% CI = 1.1 to 10.9). The PESI classified 83 of 118 patients (70.3%) with favorable outcomes and only one of 14 (7%) with adverse outcomes in low class I or II (OR = 30.8, 95% CI = 3.2 to 299.7). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUCs) were 0.90 (95% CI = 0.81 to 0.98) for h-FABP, 0.89 (95% CI = 0.82 to 0.96) for PESI, 0.79 (95% CI = 0.67 to 0.90) for BNP, and 0.76 (95% CI = 0.64 to 0.87) for cTnI-Ultra. The combination of h-FABP with PESI was a particularly useful prognostic indicator because none of the 79 patients (59.8%) with h-FABP < 6 ng/mL and PESI class < III had an adverse outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

h-FABP and the PESI are superior to BNP and cTnI-Ultra as markers for risk stratification of patients with acute PE. The high sensitivity of their combination identified a large number of low-risk patients in the ED.