NT-proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) increases with age and is associated with all-cause mortality. With this study, we assessed its possible utilization as a marker of biological age in comparison with other variables. The study included 1079 non-institutionalized elderly subjects (mean age 72.8 ± 5.5 years, 561 women). Baseline measurements were performed of serum NT-proBNP and of some laboratory variables previously utilized to estimate biological age (creatinine, albumin, C-reactive protein, cholesterol, blood glucose, leukocytes, lymphocytes, hemoglobin, mean cell volume). During 7 years of follow-up, 114 all-cause deaths occurred. The logarithm of NT-proBNP was the most age-related parameter (r = 0.35, P < 0.0001). Its relationship with mortality, according to Cox regression and ROC curve (AUC = 0.707, 95% CI 0.654–0.759), was stronger than that of all other variables, including age. In multivariate analysis, only NT-proBNP and age remained independently associated with mortality. The regression lines between age and NT-proBNP (pg/ml) allowed a separate estimation of biological age (“proBNPage”) for men (= [log(NT-proBNP) + 1.2068]/0.0827) and for women (= [log(NT-proBNP) − 1.5258]/0.0478). The hazard ratio of all-cause mortality for the fifth quintile of proBNP age (≥ 85 years) compared with the first quintile (< 61 years) was 7.9 (95% CI 3.6–17.5). Similarly, the difference between pro-BNPage and chronological age was associated with a hazard ratio of 3.5 in the fifth quintile (95% CI 1.9–6.4) and was associated with disease count (P for trend = 0.0002). In conclusion, NT-proBNP was the best indicator of biological age, which can be estimated by simple formulas and might be used for prognostic purposes or as a surrogate end point in epidemiological and intervention studies.

NT-proB 型利钠肽 (NT-proBNP) 随着年龄的增长而增加，并与全因死亡率相关。通过这项研究，我们与其他变量相比，评估了其作为生物年龄标记的可能性。该研究包括 1079 名非住院老年受试者（平均年龄 72.8 ± 5.5 岁，其中 561 名女性）。对血清 NT-proBNP 和一些先前用于估计生物年龄的实验室变量（肌酐、白蛋白、C 反应蛋白、胆固醇、血糖、白细胞、淋巴细胞、血红蛋白、平均细胞体积）进行基线测量。在 7 年的随访期间，发生了 114 例全因死亡。NT-proBNP 的对数是与年龄最相关的参数（r  = 0.35，P  < 0.0001）。根据 Cox 回归和 ROC 曲线（AUC = 0.707，95% CI 0.654–0.759），其与死亡率的关系强于所有其他变量（包括年龄）。在多变量分析中，只有 NT-proBNP 和年龄仍然与死亡率独立相关。年龄和 NT-proBNP (pg/ml) 之间的回归线允许单独估计男性 (= [log(NT-proBNP) + 1.2068]/0.0827) 和女性 (= [log (NT-BNP 前体)−1.5258]/0.0478)。proBNP 年龄的第五个五分位（≥ 85 岁）与第一个五分位（< 61 岁）相比，全因死亡率的风险比为 7.9（95% CI 3.6-17.5）。同样，pro-BNPage 和实际年龄之间的差异与第五个五分位数中 3.5 的风险比相关（95% CI 1.9-6.4），并且与疾病计数相关（趋势P = 0.0002）。总之，NT-proBNP 是生物年龄的最佳指标，可以通过简单的公式进行估计，并可用于预后目的或作为流行病学和干预研究的替代终点。