title: Prognostic value of N-terminal proatrial natriuretic factor plasma levels measured within the first 12 hours after myocardial infarction. Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) II Investigators.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to examine the relation between the plasma levels of the atrial peptide N-terminal proatrial natriuretic factor (proANF) measured during the 1st 12 h after myocardial infarction and 1-year mortality.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The atrial peptides atrial natriuretic factor and N-terminal proANF are released from cardiac atria secondary to increased atrial pressures. The plasma levels of both peptides have been found to be related to long-term prognosis when measured in the subacute phase of myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was of a retrospective case-control design studying patients enrolled in the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) II trial. Seventy-six patients who died within the 1st year of enrollment in the trial were matched with another 76 patients who survived. N-terminal proANF was analyzed by radioimmunoassay at enrollment (no later than 4 h after the start of chest pain) and at 50 min, 5 h and 8 h after enrollment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At all studied time points the peptide levels were significantly higher in the case group than in the control group. At 8 h after enrollment, an N-terminal proANF value above a cutoff point of 1,500 pmol/liter was associated with an odds ratio for death of 3.9.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The plasma level of N-terminal proANF, when measured during the 1st 12 h after the onset of chest pain, is related to 1-year mortality after myocardial infarction. Together with previous findings, these results suggest that N-terminal proANF measurements represent a valuable supplement to currently used prognostic indicators after myocardial infarction.
authors.affiliation: University of Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Cannon
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Forman
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Braunwald
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood*; D009318:Natriuresis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011379:Prognosis; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011498:Protein Precursors; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor