Background

the impact of renal function and its changes and the occurrence of cardiovascular events on changes in N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels (NT-proBNP) is unknown in very old age.

Objective

to assess whether increase in NT-proBNP levels over time is still associated with cardiac disease and mortality in very old age, independent of renal function.

Methods

changes in NT-proBNP levels between age 85 and 90 years and their associations with incident cardiac disease, (cardiovascular) mortality and renal function were assessed in 252 nonagenarian participants from a population-based sample of the Leiden 85-plus Study.

Results

median NT-proBNP increase over 5 years was 154 pg/ml (inter-quartile range: 29-549), while in the same period estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decreased by 5.8 ml/min/1.73 m(2) (standard deviation 7.5). Participants with increasing NT-proBNP levels more frequently developed heart failure and atrial fibrillation (odds ratio 2.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11-7.02 and 2.63, 95% CI 1.02-6.79, respectively, adjusted for eGFR at age 85 and change in eGFR) between age 85 and 90 years. Increasing NT-proBNP levels between age 85 and 90 years were associated with an increased cardiovascular mortality risk after age 90 years compared with not-increasing NT-proBNP levels (hazard ratio 1.62, 95% CI 1.04-2.51, adjusted for eGFR at age 90 years and change in eGFR).

Conclusion

in the oldest old, increase in NT-proBNP is associated with incident heart failure and atrial fibrillation and risk for cardiovascular mortality, independent of decreasing renal function.

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