title: [Clinical significance of BNP as a biomarker for cardiac disease--from a viewpoint of basic science and clinical aspect].
abstract: BNP was discovered in the porcine brain extract in 1988. Subsequent studies have demonstrated that BNP is a cardiac hormone in humans. Plasma level of BNP is increased in patients with heart failure more than ANP. Therefore, BNP measurements as a biomarker for heart failure spread all over our country and all over the world. Now the guideline in the world recognizes that BNP is a useful biomarker for diagnosis for acute and chronic heart failure. However, the usefulness of "BNP-guided therapy for heart failure" is still controversial at present, because randomized-controlled studies have shown the neutral results. Although more than twenty years have passed since its discovery, recent studies have shown the new findings in BNP research. I describe here the recent advance of BNP research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishikimi
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain