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Role of brain natriuretic peptide in risk stratification of patients with congestive heart failure

^a Medizinische Klinik I, Universitätsklinikum Grosshadern, Munich, Germany
^b Institut für Klinische Chemie, Universitätsklinikum Grosshadern, Munich, Germany

View larger version (15K): [in a new window]   Figure 1 Relationship between BNP plasma concentrations and HFSS in 78 patients. A high HFSS, indicating a low risk of an adverse outcome, was related to low plasma BNP levels, whereas a low HFSS indicated high plasma BNP levels.

View larger version (19K): [in a new window]   Figure 2 Comparison of BNP plasma concentrations in patients assigned to the three distinct prognostic score risk groups according to their HFSS (low risk: HFSS 8.10, n = 58; medium risk: HFSS 7.20 to 8.09, n = 10; and high risk: HFSS 7.20, n = 10). Data are presented as the mean value ± SEM.

View larger version (19K): [in a new window]   Figure 3 Comparison of BNP plasma concentrations in patients according to their development of cardiovascular function after 12 months (improvement: n = 13; stabilization: n = 34; and deterioration: n = 12). Data are presented as the mean value ± SEM.

View larger version (13K): [in a new window]   Figure 4 Kaplan-Meier estimates of freedom from clinical deterioration or death in patients stratified into two groups according to the 75th percentile of all plasma BNP concentrations.

View larger version (18K): [in a new window]   Figure 5 Receiver-operating characteristic curves for plasma BNP concentrations and HFSS, to predict the risk of clinical deterioration or patient death.