N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide: prognostic potential in end stage liver cirrhosis in a cohort free of heart failure; an Egyptian insight

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim: Natriuretic peptide [NP] system has emerged as one of the most important hormonal systems in control of cardiovascular homeostasis. Liver cirrhosis may affect NP levels that ere well described in heart failure. NP prognostic evaluation was well established in many diseases. Our aims were to measure serum and ascitic NT-proBNP levels in cirrhotic and cardiac Egyptian patients to diagnose a cut-off value for exclusion of heart failure, to assess if cirrhosis per se may contribute in NT-proBNP elevation and to assess the contribution of these levels as predictors of mortality in liver cirrhosis