Do Biomarkers Predict Excess Risk for Postoperative Cardiovascular Complications After Noncardiac Surgery?

High preoperative levels of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or troponins predict adverse cardiovascular (CV) events in high-risk patients who undergo noncardiac surgery. To evaluate this observation further, researchers in China measured N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T preoperatively in nearly 3000 adults who were undergoing major noncardiac surgery. All participants had either known CV disease or multiple CV risk factors. Troponin also was measured routinely for 2 days postoperatively.

Key outcomes at 30 days were as follows:

• The incidence of a major adverse CV event (i.e., myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, stroke, coronary revascularization, or CV-related death) was 2.2%.

• The incidence of “any CV e…