B-type natriuretic peptide can detect silent myocardial ischaemia in asymptomatic type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To find out whether B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) detects silent myocardial ischaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes, since many of these patients have silent ischaemia leading to unexpected cardiac deaths.


METHODS
Prospective cross-sectional study with consecutive recruitment of patients.


METHODS
Outpatient, single centre.


METHODS
219 patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients were excluded if they had a history or evidence of cardiac failure.


METHODS
BNP, echocardiography and exercise tolerance test (ETT). BNP was compared with the ETT result in all patients and specifically in those who had no apparent ischaemic heart disease (IHD).


RESULTS
121 patients had no history of IHD or cardiac failure and of these patients 85 had a clearly abnormal or normal ETT result. BNP was higher in patients with an abnormal than with a normal ETT (mean 58.2 (SD 46.3) v 24.4 (SD 15.7) pg/ml, p < 0.001). In univariate analysis BNP was an independent predictor of an abnormal ETT (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis BNP remained an independent predictor of the ETT result. BNP concentration over 20 pg/ml predicted an abnormal ETT result with a sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 37%, and BNP over 40 pg/ml had a sensitivity of 63% and a specificity of 81%.


CONCLUSIONS
BNP is of value in predicting silent ischaemia on exercise testing in asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes.
Rana
B S
BS
Division of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK.
Davies
J I
JI
Band
M M
MM
Pringle
S D
SD
Morris
A
A
Struthers
A D
AD
D019540:Area Under Curve; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis
D015415:Biomarkers; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain