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Publication Mayo Clinic Proceedings

Repeated blood tests predict heart failure risk, especially in women

Repeated measurements of the blood marker NT-proBNP, a hormone fragment indicating heart strain, can accurately predict the risk of heart failure, particularly in women. Researchers from Erasmus MC published their findings in the scientific journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

David Drexhage

Reading time 1 min

11 March 2026

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Of the more than 8,400 participants followed for over 23 years in the PREVEND study, around 10% developed heart failure. Rising NT-proBNP levels were found to be strongly associated with HFrEF (heart failure with reduced ejection fraction), a condition where the pumping power of the heart is significantly diminished. This association was most pronounced in women.

Dr. Navin Suthahar (MD, MSc, PhD), Assistant Professor at the Department of Cardiology in Erasmus MC, led the study. Suthahar: “Our understanding of these biomarkers is continuously evolving. Regularly measuring NT-proBNP can help identify women at increased risk for this type of heart failure sooner. Our research opens the door to early prevention and targeted treatments.

The publication may be found here.

DNA test: who benefits from chemotherapy for ovarian cancer?

Why does chemotherapy work for some patients and not for others? Researchers at Erasmus MC have found a promising clue in the dividing DNA of cancer cells. They hope this will enable them to predict which women with ovarian cancer will truly benefit from chemotherapy.

January 28, 2026

Anniversary

Illness in older age is not a given: insights from 35 years of Rotterdam population research

The longest-running population study in the Netherlands – The Rotterdam Study – in the Ommoord district is 35 years old. Professor of Epidemiology and research leader Arfan Ikram is still enthusiastic. The insights from ERGO have led to policy changes in the Netherlands and beyond. ‘It has triggered a change in thinking.’

November 27, 2025

KLEINER database plaveiselcelcarcinoom pexels-tima-miroshnichenko-6549358

Skin Cancer

World’s first database for advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

Researchers at the Erasmus MC Cancer Institute have developed a nationwide database containing a wealth of information on cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). This resource will soon enable doctors to provide more personalized treatments for patients with this type of skin cancer.

November 13, 2025

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