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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., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Diastolic dysfunction has been reported in patients with COVID-19. Due to the role of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in the diagnosis of heart failure, this study investigated the relationship between serum NT-proBNP levels and diastolic heart failure in patients with COVID-19. This descriptive-analytical study was performed at Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital in Babol. Fifty-two patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis, who were admitted to the ICU, were included in this study. The primary outcome was about the relationship and predictive role of NT-proBNP and diastolic heart failure in patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients with pro BNP > 125 pg/ml underwent echocardiography, and the relationship between echocardiographic indices and NT-proBNP was assessed as the secondary outcome. Our study showed that plasma NT-proBNP levels in patients with increased diastolic dysfunction were associated with disease severity. It was also found that the cut-off point of NT-proBNP = 799 pg/ml could be a predictor of diastolic dysfunction grades two and three. In this study, patients with a serum NT-proBNP level > 799 had 37 times higher chance of having diastolic dysfunction than those with a serum NT-proBNP < 799. Patients with NT-proBNP > 556 had RV&#95;EA > 2 in echocardiography, indicating increased right-sided filling pressures. Despite the confounding factors in the interpretation of the NT-proBNP level in COVID-19, its level can be used to estimate the presence of high-grade diastolic heart failure on the left side and the right side of the heart and the presence of high filling pressures. Lower levels of NT-proBNP are associated with right-sided diastolic failure., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2022.)