Amino-terminal B-natriuretic peptide levels and postablation recurrence in hypertensive patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Background Amino-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has been shown to predict postablation recurrences of atrial fibrillation (AF); however, given the associations of natriuretic peptides with various cardiovascular parameters potentially related to AF, whether the observed association with recurrence is truly an independent one is not clear. Objective The purpose of this analysis was to assess the association of NT-proBNP levels with AF recurrence after radiofrequency ablation. Methods This was a post hoc analysis of a prospective study of 296 hypertensive patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF and no history of heart failure who were scheduled to undergo pulmonary vein isolation. NT-proBNP was measured at baseline, and patients were followed for a median of 13.7 months. Results NT-proBNP levels at baseline were higher in patients with recurrence (269 pg/mL [199–361 pg/mL]) vs those who remained arrhythmia-free (188 pg/mL [146–320 pg/mL], P