B-type natriuretic peptide in outpatients after myocardial infarction: optimized cut-off value for incident heart...

Higher levels of natriuretic peptides were identified in outpatients after myocardial infarction (MI) compared to the healthy population, even in the absence of heart failure (HF). Therefore, we assessed the optimal cut-off value of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in relation to new-onset HF prediction in 79 post-MI patients with preserved left ventricular systolic function (ejection fraction >40%). Plasma BNP was measured by enzyme immunoassay, 6 months after MI and patients were followed-up for the next one year. Cox proportional regression model analysis revealed the independent prognostic value of BNP for HF prediction (p=0.005). As assessed by ROC analysis the optimal cut-off value of BNP was 175 pg/mL (sensitivity 82%; specificity 77%, AUC 0.77), associated with significantly different rates of incident HF by Kaplan-Meier analysis (p=0.001). In this population of outpatients with preserved left ventricular systolic function after MI, BNP strongly correlated with new-onset HF development at the optimal cut-off value of 175 pg/mL.