The correlation between frailty and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide in elderly hospitalized patients / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the relationship between N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP)levels and frailty in elderly hospitalized patients.Methods:A total of 604 patients aged 65 years or older(with a mean age of 74.9±6.5)admitted to Beijing Hospital from September 2018 to February 2019 were consecutively enrolled in this cross-sectional study.Patients with clinical diagnosis of heart failure or left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)>50% were excluded.Participants were divided into the non-frail(n=130, 21.5%), pre-frail(n=327, 54.1%)and frail(n=147, 24.3%)groups based on the Fried phenotype.Clinical data, laboratory test results and echocardiographic data were collected.Blood levels NT-proBNP were measured.The ability of daily living activities was evaluated.The relationship of NT-proBNP levels with frailty and the diagnostic value of NT-proBNP levels for frailty screening were analyzed.Results:As the severity of frailty increased, elevated NT-proBNP levels were observed( P<0.01). NT-proBNP levels were higher in the frail group than in the pre-frail group [235.7(104.1, 650.3)ng/L vs. 123.2(67.7, 281.7)ng/L, P<0.01] and higher in the pre-frail group than in the non-frail group [123.2(67.7, 281.7)ng/L vs.88.2(49.9, 203.1)ng/L, P<0.01]. With increased severity of frailty, the anterior and posterior diameter of the left atrium increased( P<0.05), while LVEF decreased( P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that NT-proBNP levels were independently associated with frailty( P<0.01). The level of NT-proBNP had a certain diagnostic value for frailty, and the area under the receiver-operating characteristics(ROC)curve was 0.688( P<0.01). Conclusions:The level of NT-proBNP is elevated in elderly frail inpatients, it is an independent factor for frailty.Measuring NT-proBNP levels in frail groups can help clinicians pay attention to patients' cardiac function and give appropriate interventions as early as possible.