title: Comparative measurement of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide in ambulatory patients with heart failure.
abstract: It is not clear whether brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) is superior as a diagnostic and prognostic indicator in cardiac diseases. Here, we compare the clinical correlations of both peptides in a population of 92 ambulatory patients with heart failure, using a well-established immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) for BNP and an automated electrochemiluminescence immunoassay for NT-proBNP. The analytical correlation between the two peptides was satisfactory over a wide range of concentrations (1-686 pM for BNP) with the equation: NT-proBNP = 3.48 x BNP -19 and a correlation coefficient r2=0.94. In addition, the concentration of both peptides increased in a similar fashion according to the severity of the disease New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, left ventricular ejection fraction, etiology) and age; for instance, the ratios between median levels measured in NYHA class III vs. class II patients were comparable for BNP (383 vs. 16 pM, ratio 24) and NT-proBNP (1306 vs. 57 pM, ratio 23). We conclude that N-terminal proBNP, as assayed in the present study, correlates equally to BNP with clinical variables in patients with heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Research, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masson
authors.forename: Tarcisio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vago
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baldi
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salio
authors.forename: Noeleen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: De Angelis
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nicolis
authors.forename: Aldo P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Maggioni
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Latini
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Norbiato
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bevilacqua
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain