Incremental prognostic implications of brain natriuretic peptide, cardiac sympathetic nerve innervation, and noncardiac disorders in patients with heart failure.

Abstract

Plasma BNP level is a stronger predictor than other risk factors for mortality in heart failure patients and is statistically significantly, but roughly, related to cardiac sympathetic nerve innervation. Impaired cardiac sympathetic nerve innervation and the presence of diabetes mellitus and chronic renal dysfunction, however, improve risk stratification of patients with heart failure and increased plasma BNP concentration.