Preoperative routine measurement of NT-proBNP predicts postoperative morbidity after non-cardiac surgery with intermediate or high surgical risk: an observational study

• Published in: BMC anesthesiology 2024-03, Vol.24 (1), p.113-13, Article 113
• Main Authors: Schmidt, Götz, Frieling, Nora, Schneck, Emmanuel, Habicher, Marit, Koch, Christian, Rubarth, Kerstin, Balzer, Felix, Aßmus, Birgit, Sander, Michael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute decompensated heart failure; Acute kidney injury; Acute Kidney Injury - diagnosis; Acute Kidney Injury - epidemiology; Aged; Biomarkers; Brain natriuretic peptide; Cardiac patients; Cardiovascular disease; Clinical trials; Congestive heart failure; Diuretics; General anesthesia; Heart attacks; Heart failure; Heart Failure - epidemiology; Hemodynamics; Hospitals; Humans; Hypotension; Infection; Kidney diseases; Kidneys; Measurement; Morbidity; Mortality; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; Natriuretic peptides; Observational studies; Patient outcomes; Patients; Peptide Fragments; Perioperative; Prognosis; Rehospitalisation; Renal failure; Risk factors; Stroke; Trauma
• ISSN: 1471-2253; 1471-2253
• DOI: 10.1186/s12871-024-02488-8

Chronic heart failure (HF) is a common clinical condition associated with adverse outcomes in elderly patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. This study aimed to estimate a clinically applicable NT-proBNP cut-off that predicts postoperative 30-day morbidity in a non-cardiac surgical cohort. One hundred ninety-nine consecutive patients older than 65 years undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery with intermediate or high surgical risk were analysed. Preoperative NT-proBNP was measured, and clinical events were assessed up to postoperative day 30. The primary endpoint was the composite morbidity endpoint (CME) consisting of rehospitalisation, acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), acute kidney injury (AKI), and infection at postoperative day 30. Secondary endpoints included perioperative fluid balance and incidence, duration, and severity of perioperative hypotension. NT-proBNP of 443 pg/ml had the highest accuracy in predicting the composite endpoint; a clinical cut-off of 450 pg/ml was implemented to compare clinical endpoints. Although 35.2% of patients had NT-proBNP above the threshold, only 10.6% had a known history of HF. The primary endpoint was the composite morbidity endpoint (CME) consisting of rehospitalisation, acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), acute kidney injury (AKI), and infection. Event rates were significantly increased in patients with NT-proBNP > 450 pg/ml (70.7% vs. 32.4%, p