Evaluation of Pro-BNP biomarker in heart failure patients and its relationship with complete blood count parameters: A case-control study

Abstract

Background and aims: Heart failure (HF) is a growing global health concern. N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) is an established biomarker for ventricular dysfunction in heart failure (HF). This case-control study examined the relationship between brain natriuretic peptide (Pro-BNP) levels and complete blood count (CBC) parameters in HF patients and healthy controls, exploring the utility of CBC as a supplementary diagnostic tool for HF.

Methods: The study included 89 participants, divided into 42 HF patients with diagnosed HF (patient group) and 47 healthy individuals (control group). Pro-BNP levels were measured alongside a comprehensive CBC panel, including parameters such as white blood cell count, hemoglobin levels, and platelet count. Demographic, clinical characteristics, and CBC parameters were compared between the two groups, with statistical analyses performed to identify any significant associations.

Results: The analysis demonstrated that HF patients had significantly higher Pro-BNP levels than the control subjects, indicating a strong association between Pro-BNP levels and HF (1052.65 [196.56] vs. 2500.34 [1105.90], p < 0.001). Moreover, significant differences in CBC parameters, such as platelet count: 246.96 (82.72) versus 206.45 (57.20), p = 0.009; mean corpuscular volume (MCV): 83.74 (5.86) versus 87.12 (4.60), p < 0.00; and red cell distribution width: 13.47 (1.29) versus 14.28 (1.35), p < 0.001) were observed, with the patient group showing altered levels indicative of cardiac stress and inflammation. Correlation analysis further established the relationship between Pro-BNP levels and CBC parameters, with notable correlations observed with MCV (0.250, p < 0.020) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin levels (0.246, p < 0.045). These findings suggest a complex interplay between Pro-BNP levels and CBC parameters, underscoring the potential of CBC parameters as auxiliary diagnostic markers in HF.

Conclusion: Pro-BNP exhibits clinical relevance in diagnosing cardiovascular dysfunction, with elevated levels and distinct hematological profiles in HF patients. Pro-BNP's diagnostic and predictive capabilities for hematocrit and platelet count support its use in risk assessment and treatment decisions for HF.

Keywords: Pro‐BNP; biomarker; complete blood count parameters; ematological profiles; heart failure; heart failure patients.

Figure 1

Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showing the predictive value of serum pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (Pro‐BNP) in HF. Area under the curve = 0.872 (0.789–0.943), p < 0.0001.

Figure 2

The heatmap above displays the correlation matrix of pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (Pro‐BNP) levels and blood count parameters, including hemoglobin, platelet count, WBC, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), red cell distribution width (RDW), neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR), red blood cell (RBC), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). Hct, hematocrit; WBC, white blood cell.