title: Brain natriuretic peptide level in a small series of children and grown-ups with congenital heart defects with chronic cardiac failure.
abstract: The present study assessed the usefulness of brain natriuretic peptide in evaluating the cardiovascular status in children and grown-ups with congenital or acquired disease affected by chronic cardiac failure. Brain natriuretic peptide should be included in the risk stratification of children with dilated cardiomyopathy. In patients with congenital heart defects, it is useful to tailor the optimal medical strategy to individual patients.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy. giorgiagrutter@libero.it
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grutter
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alfieri
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Parisi
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain