title: [Acute dyspnea: what is the diagnostic role of B-type natriuretic peptide?].
abstract: Bedside dosage of B-type natriuretic peptide as a marker of congestive heart failure is of major interest in the evaluation of acute dyspnea. However, this test remains difficult to use because its interpretation depends upon the probability of disease and upon its diagnostic performance (sensitivity and specificity), varying with each BNP level. When the clinical probability of heart failure is low or high, BNP level doest not modify significantly the probability of disease. The test is useful when the diagnostic is uncertain (intermediate clinical probability), because a BNP value < 100 pg/ml makes the diagnosis of heart failure unlikely (high negative predictive value), and a value > 500 pg/ml very likely.
authors.affiliation: I'Unité d'accueil et d'urgence du Département de médecine interne, HUG, 1211 Genève 14. francois.sarasin@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Sarasin
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain