NPPB and cancer: Patients developing malignancies were older (68.5 [61.5, 75.8] vs 60.0 [52.0, 72.0] years; p = 0.011) and had higher NT-proBNP (302.0 [134.8, 919.8] vs 165.5 [87.4, 407.5] pg/ml; p = 0.040), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (3.27 [1.33, 5.94] vs 1.92 [0.83, 4.00] mg/L; p = 0.030), and lower triglyceride (92.5 [70.5, 132.8] vs [112.0 (82.0, 157.0] mg/dl; p = 0.044) plasma levels than those remaining stable, without differences in the other variables studied (Table 1 and Fig 2), including previous or present smoking.