The cohorts including only in-patients (n = 10,096 [33%]) and patients with severe HF (i.e. EF<30%, NYHA III-IV, and NT-proBNP≥5,000pg/mL) (n = 5,631 [18%]) were older, and had markedly higher NYHA classes, NT-proBNP, and were more likely to have peripheral artery disease, stroke/TIA, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, ischemic heart disease, and valvular disease, as compared with the overall (EF<40%) and EF<30% cohorts. Here, NPPB is linked to atrial fibrillation.