The predictability of renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system factors for clinical outcome in patients with acute decompensated heart failure

Although counter-regulation between B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) activation in heart failure (HF) has been suggested, whether the regulation is preserved in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) patients remains unclear. This study aimed to determine: (1) the relationship between RAAS activation and clinical outcomes in ADHF patients, and (2) the relationships between plasma BNP levels and degrees of activation in RAAS factors. This study included ADHF patients ( n = 103, NYHA3-4, plasma BNP > 200 pg/ml). We studied the predictability of RAAS factors for cardiovascular events and the relationships between plasma BNP levels and the degrees of activation in RAAS factors, which were evaluated by plasma renin activity (PRA) and aldosterone concentration (PAC). PRA was a strong predictor of cardiovascular (CV) events over 1 year, even after accounting for plasma BNP levels (hazard ratio (HR): 1.04, CI [1.02–1.06], p