title: Utility of Brain Natriuretic Peptide in diagnosis of congestive heart failure and comparison with trans-thoracic echocardiography: a multicenter analysis in South Asian and Arabian population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate serum Brain Natriuretic Peptide levels (BNP) as a screening test in the diagnosis of congestive heart failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparative cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prince Salman Heart Center, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between December 2010 to January 2012 and Nishtar Hospital, Multan, Pakistan, from February to August 2006.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 80 patients with clinical diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) underwent measurement of serum BNP and had a trans-thoracic echocardiography to measure Ejection Fraction (EF). The normal limit for serum BNP levels, provided by the manufacturer of the kit was applied as a cut-off value for BNP. EF of > 45% was considered normal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty seven patients (94%) had an EF < 45%. BNP levels were elevated in 36 patients (72%). Sensitivity and specificity of BNP was found to be 80% and 66% respectively and accuracy was 80%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BNP measurements as a screening tool for CHF has good sensitivity and accuracy when compared to echocardiography.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Prince Salman Heart Center, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nauman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ejaz
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, U.S.A.
authors.forename: M Rizwan
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Khalid
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000097:blood; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010154:Pakistan; D012372:ROC Curve; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013318:Stroke Volume; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain