title: Correlation between levels of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and degrees of heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The N-terminal fragment of pro Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-pro BNP) is a neuro-hormone synthesized in the cardiac ventricles in response to increased wall tension. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between the NT-pro BNP levels and the New York Heart Association function class (NYHA Fc) of dyspnea and echocardiographic findings for the patients who visited our cardiology departments.
  
  
  METHODS
  From October, 2002 to April, 2003, serum NT-pro BNP levels were measured in 348 patients who visited the Samsung Medical Center and the Jong Koo Lee Heart Clinic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The NT-pro BNP levels were increased with the progression of NYHA Fc of dyspnea (p < 0.001 by ANOVA), the increase in the systolic left ventricular internal dimension (p < 0.05), and the decrease in the ejection fraction (p < 0.01). For the NYHA Fc I patients, the NT-pro BNP levels were positively correlated with age (0 < 0.001) and left atrial size (p < 0.001). For the patients with ischemic heart disease, the NT-pro BNP levels were also positively correlated with the NYHA Fc (p < 0.001 by ANOVA). The NT-pro BNP levels were increased with the increase in the systolic (p < 0.001) and diastolic pressure (p = 0.017), the left ventricular internal dimension as well as the decrease in the ejection fraction (p < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the NT-pro BNP levels was 0.994 (95% confidence interval, 0.979-0.999), and the most reliable cut-off level for the NT-pro BNP was 293.6 pg/mL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NT-pro BNP levels were positively correlated with the NYHA Fc of dyspnea and the systolic dysfunction for the patients who visited our cardiology departments. A 300 pg/mL value for the NT-pro BNP cut-off point appears to be a sensitive level to differentiate dyspnea originating from an ailing heart or not for the patients who visited our cardiology departments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Cardiac and Vascular Center and Laboratory Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Bong Geun
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Eun Seok
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Yong Hoon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Min Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Joon Hyung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Doh
authors.forename: Phil Ho
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seok Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Hye Lim
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Hyun-Joong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji Dong
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Sang Chol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyeon Cheol
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Gwon
authors.forename: June Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Duk-Kyung
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyung Pyo
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jeong Euy
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Soo Youn
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong Koo
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D004417:Dyspnea / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain