心脏衰竭诊断的新指标

 
在一项对由于气促而到急诊室就医的1256例患者的临床研究中，证实了血液氨基酸末端亲脑利纳肽(NT-proBNP)在诊断疑似急性心衰的价值。

先前的研究已经证实这个指标的价值，但是局限在单中心而且患者数量较少。在当前研究中的720例患者被诊断为急性心衰，NT-proBNP中位数水平大大高于那些不是急性心衰的患者。当症状严重程度增加的时候，NT-proBNP的水平也升高。NT-proBNP是心脏激素BNP的生物无活性前体。许多先前的研究显示BNP是诊断充血性心脏衰竭的指标。

这项研究是在新西兰、西班牙和荷兰进行的。与那些水平较低的患者相比较，NT-proBNP水平超过5,180 pg/ml的患者在研究期间死亡风险升高5倍。这项研究结果在2005年11月17日《欧洲心脏期刊》在线版上进行了报道。

Blood Test Confirmed Useful for Heart Failure
 
A study involving 1,256 patients arriving at emergency rooms with shortness of breath has confirmed the value of a blood test for amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) for diagnosing suspected acute heart failure.

Prior studies have suggested this usefulness but were restricted to single centers and a small number of patients. In 720 of the current patients, who were diagnosed with acute heart failure, median NT-proBNP levels were considerably higher compared to patients who did not have acute heart failure. As the severity of symptoms rose, levels of NT-proBNP also rose. NT-proBNP is the biologically inert precursor to the heart hormone BNP. Many previous studies have shown BNP as a marker in the diagnosis of congestive heart failure.

The patients in the new study were in New Zealand, Spain, and the Netherlands. Those whose levels of NT-proBNP were greater than 5,180 pg/ml were found to have a fivefold increased risk of death within the study period, compared to patients whose levels were low. The study’s findings were reported in the November 17, 2005, online edition of the European Heart Journal.