Abstract: AIM: To explore the change of plasma branched-chain amino acids( BCAAs) level in patients with chronic congestive heart failure( CHF) and its correlation with NT-pro-brain natriuretic peptide( NT-pro-BNP) and left ventricular ejection fraction( LVEF). METHODS: Plasma BCAAs and NT-pro-BNP were detected with commercial ELISA kits and LVEF was measured by echocardiography in168 CHF patients( CHF group) and 41 normal subjects( control group). RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in the general data between groups. The levels of plasma BCAAs and LVEF in CHF group were lower than those in control group,but the level of NT-pro-BNP in the CHF group was higher( all P < 0. 01). With the increase of NYHA classification,NT-pro-BNP increased( all P <0. 01),but plasma BCAAs level did not change significantly( P > 0. 05). In partial correlation analyses adjusted for gender,age,systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure and body mass index,plasma BCAAs level was negatively correlated with NT-pro-BNP and was not associated with LVEF. CONCLUSION:Plasma BCAA level in CHF group is lower than in control group and is negatively correlated with NT-proBNP concentration,indicating that BCAAs might play a role in metabolic remodeling of the failing heart,which provides a novel strategy for treatment of heart failure.