title: N-TerminaL PRO-BNP in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients with ST Elevation Versus Non ST Elevation in Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the differences in the secretion of NT-proBNP and conventional cardiac markers in patients with STE-ACS vs. NSTE-ACS as a trial to solve the dilemma of the early detection of myocardial ischemia in NSTE-ACS.
  
  
  METHODS
  prospective case control hospital based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Buraidah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty two patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were divided into 2 groups according to ECG: group1 with elevated ST segment in ECG ( STE-ACS) and group 2 with non elevated ST segment (NSTE-ACS). Twenty healthy subjects with matched age and sex were enrolled as control group in this study. In the sera of all subjects, levels of NT -proBNP, CK-MB and troponin- T were measured by different kits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CK-MB and Tn-T were both significantly higher in STE-ACS patients as compared to NSTE-ACS patients. Conversely, NT-proBNP was significantly higher in NSTE-ACS patients than STE-ACS especially within 4 hours from onset of chest pain. This suggested a larger ischemic insult despite the smaller extent of myocardial necrosis compared with STE-ACS patients. Comparison between sensitivity and specificity of NT-proBNP, Tn-T and CK-MB levels by ROC curves revealed a marked difference of area under the curves with higher sensitivity and specificity of NT-proBNP in NSTE-ACS patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NT-proBNP can serve as a sensitive marker in the early phase of NSTE-ACS patients as compared to conventional markers of myocardial damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of medicine, Qassim University, KSA.
authors.forename: Ragaa H M
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Salama
authors.forename: Alaa E A
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: El-Moniem
authors.forename: Nour
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: El-Hefney
authors.forename: Tarek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Samor