title: Utility of B-natriuretic peptide in detecting diastolic dysfunction: comparison with Doppler velocity recordings.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although Doppler echocardiography has been used to identify abnormal left ventricular (LV) diastolic filling dynamics, inherent limitations suggest the need for additional measures of diastolic dysfunction. Because data suggest that B-natriuretic peptide (BNP) partially reflects ventricular pressure, we hypothesized that BNP levels could predict diastolic abnormalities in patients with normal systolic function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We studied 294 patients referred for echocardiography to evaluate ventricular function. Patients with abnormal systolic function were excluded. Cardiologists making the assessment of LV function were blinded to BNP levels. Patients were classified as normal, impaired relaxation, pseudonormal, and restrictivelike filling patterns. Patients diagnosed with evidence of abnormal LV diastolic function (n=119) had a mean BNP concentration of 286 +/- 31 pg/mL; those in the normal LV group (n=175) had a mean BNP concentration of 33 +/- 3 pg/mL. Patients with restrictive like filling patterns on echocardiography had the highest BNP levels (408 +/- 66 pg/mL), and patients with symptoms had higher BNP levels in all diastolic filling patterns. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for BNP to detect any diastolic dysfunction was 0.92 (95% CI, 0.87 to 0.95; P<0.001). A BNP value of 62 pg/mL had a sensitivity of 85%, a specificity of 83%, and an accuracy of 84% for detecting diastolic dysfunction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A rapid assay for BNP can reliably detect the presence of diastolic abnormalities on echocardiography. In patients with normal systolic function, elevated BNP levels and diastolic filling abnormalities might help to reinforce the diagnosis diastolic dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, and University of California, San Diego, USA.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lubien
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: DeMaria
authors.forename: Padma
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krishnaswamy
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clopton
authors.forename: Jen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koon
authors.forename: Radmila
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kazanegra
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gardetto
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wanner
authors.forename: Alan S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Maisel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019540:Area Under Curve; D016279:Atrial Function, Left; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003971:Diastole; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor