[The diagnostic value of N-terminal probrainnatriuretic peptide in patients with dyspnea].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the diagnostic value of N-terminal probrainnatriuretic peptide in patients with dyspnea.


METHODS
One hundred and six patients with dyspnea were divided into two groups: cardiac dyspnea group (62 cases) and non-cardiac dyspnea group(44 cases). Moreover, according to the results of echocardiography, the cases in cardiac dyspnea group were divided into three subgroups: diastolic heart failure (25 cases), systolic heart failure (22 cases), as well as diastolic and systolic heart failure (15 cases). It was also classified according to NYHA heart function classification: NYHA III (16 cases), NYHA III (25 cases), NYHA IV (21 cases). All patients underwent NT-proBNP assay.


RESULTS
The NT-proBNP level in cardiac dyspnea group was significantly higher than that in non-cardiac dyspnea group [(2597.43 +/- 2390.44) pg/mL vs (72.91 +/- 48.41) pg/mL, P < 0.001]. In cardiac dyspnea group, the NT-proBNP level in the cases with diastolic heart failure, systolic heart failure, as well as diastolic and systolic heart failure were (810.16 +/- 672.03) pg/mL, (1903.04 +/- 1829.22) pg/mL, and (7598.50 +/- 4781.82) pg/mL respectively, which was significant different in these three subgroups (P < 0.05). The significant difference was also observed in different NYHA class CNYHA II (862.76 +/- 818. 46) pg/mL, NYHA III (2444.75 +/- 556.61) pg/mL, NYHA IV (7574.60 +/- 3721.39) pg/mL, P < 0.05). The concentration of NT-proBNP had a negative correlation with LVEF (r = -0. 812).


CONCLUSIONS
Measurement of NT- proBNP is helpful to diagnose heart failure and to differentiate the patients with dyspnea.
Department of Cardiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Ye
Y
Zhu
Bei
B
Cai
Lan-Lan
LL
Wang
D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*
D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011498:Protein Precursors; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain