title: Evaluating the evidence for assessing BNP and NT-proBNP levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide an overview of 5 systematic reviews in this issue of Clinical Biochemistry addressing the diagnostic and prognostic power of natriuretic peptides.
  
  
  METHODS
  Editorial.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Limited quality of the primary studies and the large variability in their results limit the inferences that can be drawn from reviews in this series.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current data justify neither enthusiastic use, nor confident rejection, of BNP and NT-proBNP levels to inform the prognosis or diagnosis of heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Busse
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bassler
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Guyatt
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000032:analysis*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain