title: Risk prediction in acute coronary syndrome from serial in-hospital measurements of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide.
abstract: There is limited information about the in-hospital plasma profile of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTACS) and furthermore, the prognostic influence of the timing of NT-proBNP measurements in NSTACS is unsettled. These subject matters are elucidated in this study composed of 455 patients with NSTACS (symptoms <24 h). NT-proBNP was measured at 0, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 h following admission. Any death was registered at follow-up (median: 2.3 years). The study demonstrated a monophasic profile of the plasma NT-proBNP values, reaching a maximum at 6 hours, and it showed an independent prognostic significance of NT-proBNP irrespective of the sampling time. Risk prediction by NT-proBNP was improved by combining the baseline measurement and one value taken between 24 and 96 h (at 48 h, P<0.001). No additional prognostic information was provided by including more than one late in-hospital NT-proBNP value.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The in-hospital NT-proBNP measurements exhibit a monophasic profile in patients with NSTACS and these values provide independent prognostic information as regards mortality irrespective of the sampling time. Moreover, risk prediction of NT-proBNP is strengthened by combining the admission measurement with an additional value during the hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Cardiology A, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Bjarne L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Nørgaard
authors.forename: Christian J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Terkelsen
authors.forename: Mads
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riiskjaer
authors.forename: Lene
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holmvang
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grip
authors.forename: Lene
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heickendorff
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thygesen
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000368:Aged; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D020107:Troponin T / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D020107:Troponin T; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain