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In nonsurgical settings, high levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) predict adverse outcomes among patients with heart failure or coronary artery disease. In this meta-analysis, investigators combined results from several small studies to determine whether preoperative BNP levels (or N-terminal pro-BNP levels) predict cardiac complications such as cardiac-related death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or atrial fibrillation among patients who are undergoing noncardiac surgery.
In nine studies that met eligibility criteria, almost a quarter of 3281 noncardiac surgery patients exhibited elevated preoperative BNP levels, and 314 experienced cardiac complications within 30 days after surgery. In the seven studies that could be pooled to dete…