Therefore, we divided the patients into two groups using the median %delta NT-proBNP of 4.2 as the cutoff value, which allowed us to group patients with an unchanged or improved state of heart failure separately from patients with a deteriorating state of heart failure for evaluation (responder group: %delta NT-proBNP < 4.2, non-responder group: %delta NT-proBNP ≥ 4.2). Here, NPPB is linked to heart failure.