• Clin Lab · Jan 2007

    Comparative Study

    NT-proBNP in monitoring treatment of patients with congestive heart failure.

    • Bssam M Al-Meslmani, Sahar K Fahoum, and Marwan G Shamia.
    • Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Damascus University, Syria. bssam_almeslmani@yahoo.com
    • Clin Lab. 2007 Jan 1; 53 (1-2): 35-9.

    ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the utility of plasma N-terminal proBrain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) assay in monitoring the therapy of congestive heart failure patients.BackgroundTreatment of congestive heart failure aims to improve left ventricular function by reducing the pressure and volume overload. The human heart secretes brain natriuretic peptide in response to increased intracardiac volume or pressure. Therefore the therapy of congestive heart failure could have an effect on the plasma natriuretic peptide level.MethodsThe study included 149 patients with heart failure admitted to the Al-Assad and Al-Mowasah Hospitals, Damascus, Syria, during a 19-month period from February 2004 to September 2005. The age of the patients was between 35-85 years (mean+/-SD: 57+/-13.5). The patients were clinically divided into 4 groups according to the New York Heart Association Classification. Plasma NT-proBNP levels were measured and echocardiography was performed in all patients. We repeated physical examination, echocardiography, the patient's history, and the NT-proBNP assay in 46 patients from different stages after 3 months of drug treatment. The monitored patients were divided into three subgroups according to the clinical state: (A) 21 patients who clinically improved; (B) 18 patients with no clinical improvement; (C) 7 patients who were clinically stable. Plasma NT-proBNP levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (Roche). Statistical analysis was carried out by T-distribution, and the difference was considered to be significant at P < 0.05.ResultsThe plasma NT-proBNP levels significantly decreased (P < 0.001) in clinically improved patients after 3 months of treatment, and this was accompanied by improvement of the echocardiographic data and symptoms. In contrast, the plasma NT-proBNP levels increased in patients with no clinical improvement and a decrease in the ejection fraction after 3 months of therapy, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). There was also no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) between the plasma NT-proBNP level at diagnosis and after 3 months of treatment in clinically stable patients.ConclusionThe plasma NT-proBNP levels alter in response to drug therapy and can be used in monitoring treated patients with congestive heart failure.

      Pubmed     Copy Citation     Plaintext  

      Add institutional full text...

    Notes

     
    Knowledge, pearl, summary or comment to share?
    300 characters remaining
    help        
    You can also include formatting, links, images and footnotes in your notes
    • Simple formatting can be added to notes, such as *italics*, _underline_ or **bold**.
    • Superscript can be denoted by <sup>text</sup> and subscript <sub>text</sub>.
    • Numbered or bulleted lists can be created using either numbered lines 1. 2. 3., hyphens - or asterisks *.
    • Links can be included with: [my link to pubmed](http://pubmed.com)
    • Images can be included with: ![alt text](https://bestmedicaljournal.com/study_graph.jpg "Image Title Text")
    • For footnotes use [^1](This is a footnote.) inline.
    • Or use an inline reference [^1] to refer to a longer footnote elseweher in the document [^1]: This is a long footnote..

    hide…