title: Predictors of elevated B-type natriuretic peptide concentrations in dyspneic patients without heart failure: an analysis from the breathing not properly multinational study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is an established tool for the diagnosis of acute congestive heart failure in patients presenting with dyspnea. Some patients have moderately elevated BNP levels (ie, 100 to 500 pg/mL) in the absence of acute congestive heart failure. The objective of the current study was to identify independent predictors of elevated BNP concentrations in the absence of congestive heart failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 781 patients without acute congestive heart failure and BNP levels 0 to 500 pg/mL drawn from a cohort of 1,586 patients with acute dyspnea who had BNP levels measured on emergency department arrival. Two cardiologists blinded to BNP results reviewed all clinical data and categorized patients according to whether they had acute congestive heart failure or not.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Independent predictors of elevated BNP levels (ie, >100 pg/mL) were a medical history of atrial fibrillation, radiographic cardiomegaly, decreased blood hemoglobin concentration, decreased body mass index, and increased age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowledge of these commonly obtained variables should aid clinicians in the interpretation of moderately elevated BNP results in patients presenting with acute dyspnea in the emergency department.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Cathrine W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Knudsen
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clopton
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Westheim
authors.forename: Tor Ole
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Klemsdal
authors.forename: Alan H B
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duc
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCord
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.forename: Judd E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hollander
authors.forename: Alan B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Storrow
authors.forename: William T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: McCullough
authors.forename: Alan S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Maisel
authors.forename: Torbjørn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Omland
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000453:epidemiology; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain