N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and incident chronic kidney disease

Abstract Introduction Serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels have been associated with the progression of kidney impairment among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but only a few studies have investigated the association between serum NT-proBNP levels and incident CKD in general populations. Methods A total of 2,486 Japanese community-dwelling residents aged ≥40 years without CKD at baseline were followed up by repeated annual health examinations for 10 years. Participants were divided into four groups according to serum NT-proBNP levels. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) Results During the follow-up period, 800 participants developed CKD. The multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% confidence interval) for developing CKD were 1.00 (reference), 1.32 (1.11–1.57), 1.40 (1.10–1.78), and 1.94 (1.38–2.73) for serum NT-proBNP levels of Conclusions Higher serum NT-proBNP levels were associated with greater risks of developing CKD and greater decline in eGFR. Serum NT-proBNP could be a useful biomarker for assessing the future risk of CKD in a general Japanese population.