title: Natriuretic peptides and mortality after stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Measurement of natriuretic peptides provides prognostic information in various patient populations. The prognostic value of natriuretic peptides among patients with acute stroke is not known, although elevated peptide levels have been observed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A series of 51 patients (mean age, 68+/-11 years) with first-ever ischemic stroke underwent a comprehensive clinical examination and measurements of plasma atrial natriuretic peptides (N-ANP) and brain natriuretic peptides (N-BNP) in the acute phase of stroke. The patients were followed-up for 44+/-21 months. Risk factors for all-cause mortality were assessed. Control populations, matched for gender and age, consisted of 51 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and 25 healthy subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma concentrations of N-ANP (mean+/-SD, 988+/-993 pmol/L) and N-BNP (751+/-1608 pmol/L) in the stroke patients were at the same level as those in the AMI patients (NS for both), but significantly higher than those of the healthy subjects (358+/-103 pmol/L, P<0.001 and 54+/-26 pmol/L, P<0.01, respectively). Elevated levels of N-ANP and N-BNP predicted mortality after stroke (risk ratio [RR] 4.3, P<0.01 and RR 3.9, P<0.01, respectively) and after AMI (P<0.05), and remained independent predictors of death after stroke even after adjustment for age, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and medication (RR 3.9, P<0.05 and RR 3.7, P<0.05, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma levels of natriuretic peptides are elevated in the acute phase of stroke and predict poststroke mortality.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Circumpolar Wellbeing, Health, and Adaptation, Centre for Arctic Medicine, University of Oulu, Finland. anne.makikallio@mail.suomi.net
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mäkikallio
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Mäkikallio
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Korpelainen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vuolteenaho
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tapanainen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ylitalo
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Sotaniemi
authors.forename: H V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Huikuri
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Myllylä
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*
chemical_list: C099254:N-terminal proatrial natriuretic peptide; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011498:Protein Precursors; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor