High NT-proBNP Levels Linked to Longer Hospital Stay and Higher Mortality in HF Patients: Study
India: A new retrospective study from Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, has highlighted the critical role of NT-proBNP levels in predicting hospital outcomes among patients admitted with heart failure.
Published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science, the research by Harshitha Harshitha from the Department of General Medicine and colleagues shows that higher NT-proBNP levels at admission are strongly linked to prolonged hospital stay and increased risk of in-hospital mortality.
Heart failure continues to be one of the most common causes of hospitalization worldwide, with growing pressure on healthcare systems due to recurrent admissions and long inpatient durations. NT-proBNP, a widely used biomarker for diagnosing and assessing heart failure severity, has been extensively validated for prognostic use. However, its specific relationship with hospital stay duration has not been well studied. The authors aimed to bridge this gap by evaluating how NT-proBNP levels correlate with both hospitalization length and survival outcomes.
The study reviewed medical records of 45 patients who were admitted with heart failure between October 2024 and May 2025. Researchers collected detailed demographic, clinical, echocardiographic, and laboratory data, including NT-proBNP levels. All analyses were conducted using Jamovi and R Studio, with correlation assessed through Spearman’s rank test. Predictors of mortality were evaluated using univariate Firth logistic regression along with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.
Participants had a mean age of nearly 65 years, and just over half of them were women. NT-proBNP values varied widely, with an average level of 6,443 pg/mL. The average length of hospitalization was just under 11 days.
The study revealed the following findings:
- Non-survivors had markedly higher NT-proBNP levels, averaging around 11,000 pg/mL, compared with approximately 5,600 pg/mL in survivors.
- This significant difference highlights the usefulness of NT-proBNP as an early indicator of high-risk heart failure patients.
- A moderate positive correlation was observed between NT-proBNP levels and duration of hospital stay, with higher levels linked to longer admissions.
- ROC analysis determined an NT-proBNP cut-off of 8,823 pg/mL for predicting in-hospital mortality, showing good discriminatory ability with 86% sensitivity and 79% specificity.
- Patients with NT-proBNP levels between 8,000 and 12,000 pg/mL experienced worse clinical outcomes, including prolonged ICU stays and extended mechanical ventilation requirements.
The researchers note that while their findings align with larger studies, the retrospective single-center design and limited sample size are important limitations. They emphasize the need for larger, multicenter prospective studies to validate the results and to explore how changes in NT-proBNP levels during hospitalization might refine prognostication.
The study highlights the clinical importance of measuring NT-proBNP at admission. Early identification of patients at higher risk could allow clinicians to intensify monitoring, allocate resources more effectively, and potentially improve outcomes for those with heart failure.
Reference:
Harshitha H, Hoskere K, Sreenivas M, et al. (November 25, 2025) Correlation of NT-proBNP With Duration of Hospital Stay in Patients With Heart Failure: A Retrospective Review. Cureus 17(11): e97784. doi:10.7759/cureus.97784
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