NPPB and atrial fibrillation: At baseline, significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed between the two groups in diastolic blood pressure, history of myocardial infarction, hypertension, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease, stroke, as well as in CS, LVEF, LVDD, IVS, LVPW, left atrial size, E/e′, septal e′ < 7 cm/s, peak tricuspid regurgitation velocity > 2.8 m/s, BNP, sST2, serum sodium, NLR, hematocrit, and uric acid levels.