Correlation of plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) with radiographic features of congestion in chest CT scan of patients with COVID-19

Background Given the importance of chest computed tomography (CT) to differentiate congestion from COVID-19 pneumonia, and considering the association of chest CT findings with cardiac biomarkers in patients with concomitant COVID-19 and heart failure, this study was conducted to identify the correlation between plasma NT-proBNP level and radiographic features of congestion in patients with COVID-19. This retrospective cohort research was carried out on adult hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and the plasma concentration of NT-proBNP was measured. The most important findings in chest CT have been considered to differentiate COVID-19 pneumonia from congestion. The study population was divided into two groups based on the presence of these imaging characteristics. Results Totally, 180 patients with a mean age of 59.6 ± 14.6 years were included in the research. The radiographic findings related to congestion have been found in chest CT of 107 (59.4%) patients. Mean plasma concentration of NT-proBNP in patients with and without radiographic features of congestion was 9886.5 ± 12,676 and 2079.9 ± 4209.3 pg/mL, respectively ( p < 0.001). The area under the curve of plasma levels of NT-proBNP for identification of patients with COVID-19 who had pulmonary vein enlargement in chest CT was 0.765 (95% CI 0.688–0.842) and 0.731 (95% CI 0.648–0.813) for the individuals who had interlobar fissure thickening ( p < 0.001). Conclusions The diagnostic accuracy of plasma NT-proBNP and its positive correlation with radiographic features of congestion in chest CT scan of patients with COVID-19 can be helpful for administering appropriate medications to prevent blood volume overload.