Prognostic value of plasma MR-proADM vs NT-proBNP for heart failure in people with type 2 diabetes: the SURDIAGENE prospective study

N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is the gold standard prognostic biomarker for diagnosis and occurrence of heart failure. Here, we compared its prognostic value for the occurrence of congestive heart failure with that of plasma mid-region pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM), a surrogate for adrenomedullin, a vasoactive peptide with vasodilator and natriuretic properties, in people with type 2 diabetes.

Plasma MR-proADM concentration was measured in baseline samples of a hospital-based cohort of consecutively recruited participants with type 2 diabetes. Our primary endpoint was heart failure requiring hospitalisation.

We included 1438 participants (age 65 ± 11 years; 604 women and 834 men). Hospitalisation for heart failure occurred during follow-up (median 64 months) in 206 participants; the incidence rate of heart failure was 2.5 (95% CI 2.2, 2.9) per 100 person-years. Plasma concentrations of MR-proADM and NT-proBNP were significantly associated with heart failure in a Cox multivariable analysis model when adjusted for age, diabetes duration, history of coronary heart disease, proteinuria and baseline eGFR (_adjHR [95%CI] 1.83 [1.51, 2.21] and 2.20 [1.86, 2.61], respectively, per 1 SD log₁₀ increment, both p < 0.001). MR-proADM contributed significant supplementary information to the prognosis of heart failure when we considered the clinical risk factors (integrated discrimination improvement [IDI, mean ± SEM] 0.021 ± 0.007, p = 0.001) (Table 3). Inclusion of NT-proBNP in the multivariable model including MR-proADM contributed significant complementary information on prediction of heart failure (IDI [mean ± SEM] 0.028 ± 0.008, p < 0.001). By contrast, MR-proADM did not contribute supplementary information on prediction of heart failure in a model including NT-proBNP (IDI [mean ± SEM] 0.003 ± 0.003, p = 0.27), with similar results for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and preserved ejection fraction.

MR-proADM is a prognostic biomarker for heart failure in people with type 2 diabetes but gives no significant complementary information on prediction of heart failure compared with NT-proBNP.