NPPB and hydrops fetalis: To investigate the role of underlyingheart disease on preoperative NT-proBNP levels in patients admittedfor adult cardiac surgery, after adjusting for known confounders:age, sex, obesity, and renal function. The second objective was toinvestigate the predictive value of preoperative NT-proBNP aboutsevere postoperative HF and postoperative mortality.