title: Plasma N terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and cardiotrophin 1 are raised in unstable angina.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare circulating concentrations of N terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (N-BNP) and cardiotrophin 1 in stable and unstable angina.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study in a teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  15 patients with unstable angina, 10 patients with stable angina, and 15 controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Resting plasma N-BNP and cardiotrophin 1 concentrations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  N-BNP concentration (median (range)) was 714 fmol/ml (177-3217 fmol/ml) in unstable angina, 169.5 fmol/ml (105.7-399.5 fmol/ml) in stable angina (p = 0.005 v unstable angina), and 150.5 fmol/ml (104. 7-236.9 fmol/ml) in controls (p < 0.0001 v unstable angina; NS v stable angina). Cardiotrophin 1 concentration was 142.5 fmol/ml (42. 2-527.4 fmol/ml) in unstable angina, 73.2 fmol/ml (41.5-102.1 fmol/ml) in stable angina (p < 0.05 v unstable angina), and 27 fmol/ml (6.9-54.1 fmol/ml) in controls (p < 0.0005 v stable angina; p < 0.0001 v unstable angina). Log cardiotrophin 1 correlated with log N-BNP in unstable angina (r = 0.93, p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both circulating N-BNP and cardiotrophin 1 are raised in unstable angina, while cardiotrophin 1 alone is raised in stable angina. The role of cardiotrophin 1 and the relation between cardiotrophin 1 and N-BNP in myocardial ischaemia remain to be defined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Leicester Royal Infirmary, University of Leicester, Leicester LE2 7LX, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Talwar
authors.forename: I B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Squire
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Downie
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000097:blood; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; C092073:cardiotrophin 1