Circulating plasma NT-proBNP predicts subclinical coronary atherosclerosis on CT angiography among older adults in Uganda

Objective: Phenotypes and mechanisms of cardiovascular disease (CVD) may differ across global populations. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), distinct environmental determinants may influence development and progression of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: We investigated associations between 6 established markers of myocardial stress and subsequent subclinical CAD (sCAD), defined as presence of any atherosclerosis on coronary CT angiography (CCTA) in a 2-year prospective cohort of Ugandan adults enriched for cardiometabolic risk factors (RFs) and HIV. Six plasma biomarkers were measured baseline among 200 participants (50% with HIV) aged ≥ 45 years with ≥ 1 cardiovascular RF. At 2-year follow-up, 132 participants (52% with HIV) who returned underwent coronary CCTA. Results: In logistic regression models adjusted for cardiovascular RFs (age, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, obesity) and non-traditional RFs (HIV, chronic kidney disease), only NT-proBNP predicted subsequent subclinical CAD (p < 0.008, Bonferroni correction for multiple testing). In sensitivity analyses adjusted for ASCVD risk category (instead of individual RFs) in the baseline cohort with multiple imputation applied to missing year 2 CCTA data (n = 200), NT-proBNP remained significantly associated with subsequent CAD (p < 0.008). Conclusions: NT-proBNP consistently predicted subclinical CAD in Uganda in the absence of such an association among other markers of myocardial stress, suggesting a role for NT-proBNP in atherosclerosis independently of coronary microvascular dysfunction.