NPPB and diabetes mellitus: Patients with DM also had significantly higher plasma NT-proBNP levels (1628 vs. 461 pg/ml; p < 0.001 and 1628 vs. 719 pg/ml; p = 0.003, respectively) and a larger right atrial area as assessed by echocardiography (26 vs. 22 cm2, p < 0.001 and 26 vs. 24 cm2, p = 0.04, respectively) than patients without DM.