B-type natriuretic peptide is associated with mortality in older functionally impaired patients

To determine the predictive power of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) regarding death in older, functionally impaired patients with multiple comorbidity.

Prospective cohort study.

Specialist geriatric assessment clinic and day hospital.

Two hundred ninety-nine older, functionally impaired patients, mean age 79 at enrollment.

Full clinical history and examination, baseline BNP, and echocardiography. Date and cause of death were ascertained from Scottish death records. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed for quartiles of log (BNP), and the contribution of BNP to prediction of death was investigated.

The follow-up period ranged from 3.9 to 5.2 years (mean 4.4 years). BNP was a powerful independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. BNP was a more powerful predictor than blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, smoking, echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy, left ventricular systolic dysfunction, or age. BNP predicted death in those with and without a previous cardiovascular event at baseline.

BNP has significant predictive power for death in older, functionally impaired patients.