NPPB and congestive heart failure: The linear regression analysis in 559 CHF patients revealed a negative correlation between plasma BNP level and LVEF (r=−0.511, P<0.05), but positive correlations between BNP level and NYHA (r=0.438, P<0.05), age (r=0.214, P<0.05) and LVW thickness (r=0.182, P<0.05).