NPPB and lung carcinoma: One of the first studies to prospectively analyze the ability of natriuretic peptides to predict POAF was carried out in 2007 by Cardinale et al., who evaluated NT-proBNP 24 h before and 1 h after thoracic surgery for lung cancer in 400 patients: In patients with an increase in this marker, the incidence of POAF was much higher than in patients with normal values.