BACKGROUND We used evidence-based laboratory medicine principles to compare the diagnostic accuracy of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and the N-terminal part of the propeptide of BNP (NT-proBNP) assays for the diagnosis of heart failure. METHODS In May 2006, we performed a computerized literature search of the online National Library of Medicine to select studies specifically designed to com...

AIMS To examine the diagnostic value of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) plasma concentration in congenital heart disease. METHODS AND RESULTS BNP was measured in 288 consecutive patients (mean age 6.0 +/- 6.4 years) with left-to-right shunt, left or right heart obstruction, tetralogy of Fallot, functionally univentricular heart, or impaired left ventricular function and compared with age- an...

To the Editor: We previously reported on the use of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) testing in the 400-bed Hennepin County Medical Center at the inception of testing in August 2001 (1 ). We now describe its use and report the agreement of the results with diagnoses in the patient records in this urban teaching hospital 4 years later. We queried all BNP orders for June through August 2005 and f...

is due to neurohormonal activation in response to ventricular volume and pressure overload.10 The BNP and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) may be deemed as counterregulatory hormones acting against the sympathetic and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone systems (RAAS). Secretion of BNP and ANP cause natriuresis, vasodilation activation with a concomitant inhibition of the RAAS and adrenergic activity...

OBJECTIVES This investigation evaluated the relationship between obesity and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in heart failure. BACKGROUND Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of heart failure, but the precise mechanisms remain uncertain. Physiologically, natriuretic peptides and lipolysis are closely linked. METHODS A total of 318 patients with heart failure were evaluated be...

BACKGROUND Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), as a cardiac hormone, is expressed together with atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in the ventricles in congestive heart failure. However, the ventricular expression of BNP in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) with normal systolic function is still unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS The study population consisted of 39 HCM patients with asymmetric septal h...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels are known to be elevated in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and normal heart function. Therefore, the present study was performed to examine the effectiveness of BNP level in diagnosing heart failure in patients with CKD and to determine its effects on survival rate and prognosis. METHODS A total of 182 patients with CKD who vi...

BACKGROUND Plasma concentrations of A type or atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and B type or brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) are increased in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). OBJECTIVE To examine the haemodynamic and hormonal responses, especially of ANP and BNP, to oral administration of an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor in patients with CHF and in controls. PAT...

The effects of separate and combined endopeptidase inhibition (by SCH-32615) and natriuretic peptide receptor C blockade [by C-ANP-(4-23)] on the clearance and bioactivity of atrial (ANP) and brain (BNP) natriuretic peptides was investigated in eight sheep with heart failure. SCH-32615 and C-ANP-(4-23) administered separately induced significant and proportionate dose-dependent rises in plasma ...

Alternative RNA splicing may provide unique opportunities to identify drug targets and therapeutics. We identified an alternative spliced transcript for B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) resulting from intronic retention. This transcript is present in failing human hearts and is reduced following mechanical unloading. The intron-retained transcript would generate a unique 34 amino acid (aa) carb...