Predictive value of plasma copeptin level for the risk and mortality of heart failure: a meta‐analysis

Epidemiologic studies are inconsistent regarding the association between plasma copeptin level and heart failure ( HF ). The aim of this study was to perform a meta‐analysis to determine whether high level of copeptin is correlated with incidence of HF and mortality in patients with HF . We searched PUBMED and EMBASE databases for studies conducted from 1966 through May 2016 to identify studies reporting hazard ratio ( HR ) estimates with 95% confidence intervals ( CI s) for the association between plasma copeptin level and HF . A random‐effects model was used to combine study‐specific risk estimates. A total of 13 studies were included in the meta‐analysis, with five studies on the incidence of HF and eight studies on the mortality of patients with HF . For incidence of HF , the summary HR indicated a borderline positive association of high plasma copeptin level with HF risk ( HR , 1.60; 95% CI , 0.90–2.85). Furthermore, an increase of 1 standard deviation in log copeptin level was associated with a 17% increase in the risk of incident HF ( HR , 1.17; 95% CI , 1.02–1.33). For all‐cause mortality of patients with HF , we also found a significant association between elevated plasma copeptin level and increased mortality of HF ( HR , 1.76; 95% CI , 1.33–2.33). Our dose–response analysis indicated that an increment in copeptin level of 1 pmol/l was associated with a 3% increase in all‐cause mortality ( HR , 1.03; 95% CI , 1.01–1.05). In conclusion, our results suggest that elevated plasma copeptin level is associated with an increased risk of HF and all‐cause mortality in patients with HF .