Tei index and neurohormonal activation in patients with incident heart failure: serial changes and prognostic value

Natriuretic peptides and Tei index are useful indices for risk stratification in advanced left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). Their role in early stages is less clear.

In relation to first diagnosis of LVD to assess the relation of plasma B-type-natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) with Tei index, assess serial changes in indices, and to assess the value of indices to predict functional status.

Doppler echocardiography and neurohormonal analysis were performed (n=150). NYHA class was registered.

Tei index correlated with p-NT-proBNP (r=0.75, p<0.0001), and changes in indices correlated (r=0.36, p=0.001) in LVD (n=80). No functional improvement (n=47) was related to a median increase in Tei index (-0.2, -0.16; 0.09); an improvement (n=31) to a reduction (0.06; -0.19; 0.35), p=0.02. In the group with functional improvement, more patients had >/=30% reduction in p-NT-proBNP (75% vs. 45%, p<0.01). Addition of NT-proBNP or Tei index to a clinical model, of no functional improvement, improved log-likelihood chi(2) from 9.32 to 20.18 (p=0.001) and 20.67 (p=0.001).

Tei index and p-NT-proBNP demonstrated a fair correlation. Unimproved NYHA class was related to progressive LVD and might be identified by monitoring Tei index or p-NT-proBNP. Advanced LVD and high pre-treatment p-NT-proBNP levels indicated a potential of improvement in functional status.