Table 3. Increased relative risk for cardiovascular mortality by log NT-proBNP even in the absence of relevant LVH or LVD.
| N | CVD death | HR | 95% CI | p-value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | ≥ 70 years | 103 | 25 | 2.08 | 1.38; 3.15 | 4.80*10−4 |
| < 70 years | 1,120 | 27 | 1.40 | 0.92; 2.11 | 0.114 | |
| Sex | Men | 596 | 39 | 1.68 | 1.24; 2.28 | 8.73*10−4 |
| Women | 627 | 13 | 1.71 | 0.86; 3.39 | 0.125 | |
| Diabetes | Present | 49 | 10 | 1.56 | 0.72; 3.36 | 0.266 |
| None | 1,149 | 41 | 1.70 | 1.24; 2.31 | 8.69*10−4 | |
| Obesity | Present | 219 | 13 | 1.53 | 0.88; 2.65 | 0.129 |
| None | 998 | 39 | 1.69 | 1.23; 2.32 | 1.07*10−3 | |
| Any LVH | Present | 218 | 26 | 1.53 | 1.07; 2.20 | 0.021 |
| None | 1,001 | 26 | 1.55 | 0.94; 2.58 | 0.087 | |
| Relevant LVH | Present | 43 | 10 | 0.80 | 0.38; 1.70 | 0.567 |
| None | 1,176 | 42 | 1.68 | 1.22; 2.30 | 1.31*10−3 | |
| LVD | Present | 124 | 9 | 1.75 | 0.90; 3.40 | 0.097 |
| None | 1,097 | 43 | 1.48 | 1.02; 2.14 | 0.041 | |
| Any LVH or LVD | Present | 311 | 31 | 1.64 | 1.18; 2.28 | 3.60*10−3 |
| None | 906 | 21 | 1.03 | 0.58; 1.80 | 0.932 | |
| Diabetes or Obesity | Present | 451 | 36 | 1.63 | 1.20; 2.24 | 2.11*10−3 |
| or any LVH or LVD | None | 754 | 15 | 0.95 | 0.49; 1.87 | 0.887 |
The analyses of Table 2 were repeated in subgroups defined by sex or age (adjusting by age or sex, respectively) and the presence or absence of predefined cardiovascular risk factors (adjusted by age and sex) again applying a Cox proportional hazard regression model.
CVD death: death from cardiovascular diseases. HR: Adjusted hazard ratio of cardiovascular death per 1 unit increment in log(NT-proBNP) [ln pg/ml]. Obesity: body mass index > 30kg/m2. Any LVH: left ventricular hypertrophy defined as left ventricular mass to body surface area >115g/m2 (men) / 95g/m2 (women). Relevant LVH: left ventricular mass to body surface area > 149g/m2 (men) / 122g/m2 (women). LVD: systolic left ventricular dysfunction defined as ejection fraction below 55%.