title: [The diagnostic application of bedside measurement of plasma brain natriuretic in patients with heart failure].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate differential diagnoses value of ultra-rapid bedside measurement of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in patients with dyspnea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma BNP concentration were measured with immunofluorescence assay in 103 patients with dyspnea. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) were determined by echocardiography and Swan-Ganz catheter in these patients on the same time, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) Plasma BNP levels in the patients with heart failure were higher than those in the non-heart failure patients [(716 +/- 86 vs 46 +/- 7) ng/L, P < 0.01]. (2) The sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive values of Plasma BNP levels > or = 100 pg/ml for predicting heart failure were 95.2% (60/63), 93.0% (40/43) and 97.1% (100/103), respectively. (3) Plasma BNP levels were positively related to PCWP, and negatively related to LVEF (r = -0.56, both P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bedside BNP assay is sensitive and specific for diagnosing heart failure, and is useful in evaluating dyspnea in emergency care.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Ward Department, the First Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China. chenjz01@163.com
authors.forename: Le-wen
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Zhan-kun
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain