title: Natriuretic peptides in the evaluation of syncope in children and adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Natriuretic peptides have an increasing role in assessing cardiovascular conditions. The number of papers addressing their role in the evaluation of children with syncope of unclear etiology is sparse. The aim of this study was to determine whether measuring atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and the inactive form, N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentration in children admitted due to differential diagnosis of syncope can be helpful in establishing the most probable cause of this condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 88 patients between 9 and 18 years of age hospitalized due to syncope. The control group comprised 25 healthy children. In order to identify the cause of syncope, children with this condition were subjected to cardiologic and neurologic evaluation, and ANP and NT-proBNP concentrations were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The syncope group and the controls did not differ significantly in terms of natriuretic peptides concentrations. Similarly, no significant intergroup differences in natriuretic peptide concentrations were documented between children representing various types of response to the tilt test, and between the subgroups of patients with syncope of various origins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Analysis of natriuretic peptides concentrations in children with syncope does not result in unambiguous findings that would enable establishing accurate diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Endocrinology, Diabetology with Cardiology Division, Medical University of Bialystok , Bialystok , Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wójtowicz
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Szczepański
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bogdan
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baran
authors.forename: Julianna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szczurak
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bossowski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013575:Syncope / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor
keywords: Atrial natriuretic peptide; NT-proBNP; brain natriuretic peptide; natriuretic peptides; syncope; tilt test