B-type Natriuretic Peptide in Predicting Short-term Mortality in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes: A Preliminary Report

Objective. This study was designed to investigate the usefulness of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in predicting the short-tenn mortality in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Methods. A total of 106 pa- tients with ACS, whose blood BNP concentration were measured with Triage BNP test, within 1 - 3 days after on- set of ischemic symptoms, were divided into two groups: the survival and the non-survival group, according to the results of 4-week follow-up. Results. The blood BNP concentration was significantly higher in the non-survival than in the survival (P<O.OOO1) group; univariate analysis showed that BNP (~172 ng/L, median) and Killip class (II - N) were prognostic factors of the short-tenn cardiac death in patients with ACS (P < 0.0005 and P = o. 001); stepwise logistic regression analysis indicated that smoking and BNP (~ 596 ng/L, 75 % percentile) were independent predictors of short-tenn cardiac death in patients with ACS (OR= 5. 5,P = O. 028; OR= 21.19, P< 0.0005). Conclusion. BNP might predict the 4-week mortality in patients with ACS. (Life Science Journal.