BACKGROUND Myocardial dysfunction occurs in a variety of fetal disorders. Findings from adult cardiology, where n-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (nt-proBNP) is an established biomarker of left ventricular dysfunction have been extended to fetal life. Since fetal blood sampling is technically challenging we investigated amniotic fluid nt-proBNP for its suitability to diagnose fetal myoc...

The GRACE (Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) risk score has been shown to offer predictive power with regard to death and AMI (acute myocardial infarction) in patients with ACS (acute coronary syndromes). NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) has also been found to be useful in predicting mortality following ACS. In the present study, we sought to investigate the use of ...

OBJECTIVES This study sought to determine whether serial measurement of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in community-dwelling elderly people would provide additional prognostic information to that from traditional risk factors. BACKGROUND Accurate cardiovascular risk stratification is challenging in elderly people. METHODS NT-proBNP was measured at baseline and 2 to 3 ...

BACKGROUND Metabolic syndrome has been shown to be associated with lower levels of plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (Nt-proBNP) in the general population. We sought to elucidate the relationship between Nt-proBNP and components of metabolic syndrome in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). METHODS Fasting blood samples were obtained from 93 patients in our institution....

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Several recent studies have shown that there is an inverse relationship between plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and body mass index (BMI) in subjects with and without heart failure. Obesity frequently coexists with diabetes, so it is important to consider the relationship between diabetes and natriuretic peptide levels. We evaluated the influence of diabetes on...

AIMS The prognostic significance of N-terminal pro-A-type (NT-proANP) and pro-B-type natriuretic peptides (NT-proBNP) is not well documented in population-based prospective studies. We, therefore, studied if both NT-proANP and NT-proBNP are predictive for overall death, cardiovascular events, and atrial fibrillation (AF) among middle-aged men without heart failure or AF at baseline. METHODS A...

AIMS To test whether N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was independently associated with, and improved the prediction of, cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a primary prevention cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS In the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study (WOSCOPS), a cohort of middle-aged men with hypercholesterolaemia at a moderate risk of CVD, we related the baseline NT-pr...

AIMS Cardiovascular events are the most relevant events in patients with diabetes mellitus. We aimed to compare the predictive values of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and the state-of-the-art marker, albuminuria, for cardiac events in diabetic patients. METHODS In this prospective observational study we recruited 1071 patients with diabetes mellitus. NT-proBNP and album...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are biomarkers of cardiovascular disease that is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Conflicting data on the influence of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) on BNP and NT-proBNP levels in CKD may stem from failure to account fully for the effects of coexistent...