Baseline characteristics of the study cohort (n = 805) according to ARI categories (ARI≥25 vs. ARI<25) revealed that patients with an ARI < 25 presented with significantly higher median clinical risk score results, suffered more frequently from coronary artery disease and chronic renal failure with the need of dialysis, had more often a history of previous cardiac surgery, had significantly lower eGFRs, but higher NT-proBNP levels and were clinically more likely to be in NYHA functional class IV. Here, NPPB is linked to chronic kidney disease.