人前心钠肽在血液细菌感染患者中的应用

目的:检测血液细菌培养阳性患者血清中人前心钠肽(proANP)水平,与人前降钙素(PCT)水平进行比较,评价proANP在菌血症或败血症患者中的诊断价值。方法:收集我院住院或门诊送检的血液需氧菌培养为阳性的患者血清43例作为观察组,选择12例健康成人血清作对照组,同时做proANP和PCT检测。结果:proANP和PCT两组比较差异有显著性。两指标呈正相关(y = 28.009 + 9.732x, r = 0.954, P <0.001)。结论:proANP对菌血症或败血症患者的早期快速诊断与PCT具有相似的价值并呈正相关。     

Mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide as a prognostic marker for all-cause mortality in patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease

In the present study, we investigated the prognostic value of MR-proANP (mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide). We consecutively evaluated a catheterization laboratory cohort of 2700 patients with symptomatic CAD (coronary artery disease) [74.1% male; ACS (acute coronary syndrome), n=1316; SAP (stable angina pectoris), n=1384] presenting to the Cardiology Department of a large primary care hospital, all of whom underwent coronary angiography. Serum MR-proANP and other laboratory markers were sampled at the time of presentation or in the catheterization laboratory. Clinical outcome was assessed by hospital chart analysis and telephone interviews. The primary end point was all-cause death at 3 months after enrolment. Follow-up data were complete in 2621 patients (97.1%). Using ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curves, the AUC (area under the curve) of 0.73 [95% CI (confidence interval), 0.67-0.79] for MR-proANP was significantly higher compared with 0.58 (95% CI, 0.55-0.62) for Tn-I (troponin-I; DeLong test, P=0.0024). According to ROC analysis, the optimal cut-off value of MR-proANP was at 236?pmol/l for all-cause death, which helped to find a significantly increased rate of all-cause death (n=76) at 3 months in patients with elevated baseline concentrations (≥236?pmol/l) compared with patients with a lower concentration level in Kaplan-Meier survival analysis (log rank, P<0.001). The predictive performance of MR-proANP was independent of other clinical variables or cardiovascular risk factors, and superior to that of Tn-I or other cardiac biomarkers (all: P<0.0001). MR-proANP may help in the prediction of all-cause death in patients with symptomatic CAD. Further studies should verify its prognostic value and confirm the appropriate cut-off value.     

Use of pro-atrial natriuretic peptide in the detection of myocardial ischaemia

BACKGROUND: Because of its unique storage and release mechanisms allowing a very rapid response to haemodynamic changes, pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (proANP) may be a helpful cardiac marker in the detection of myocardial ischaemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 260 consecutive patients with suspected myocardial ischaemia referred for rest/ergometry myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) were enrolled. Levels of plasma proANP were determined before and 1 min after maximal exercise. RESULTS: Baseline proANP and peak exercise proANP were significantly higher in patients with myocardial ischaemia as compared to those without ischaemia (median, 82 [IQR, 57-112] vs. 67 [IQR, 50-106] pmol L(-1), P = 0.007; and 89 [IQR, 65-121] vs. 78 [IQR, 57-116] pmol L(-1), P = 0.033). The area under the ROC curve for baseline proANP was 0.597 (95% CI, 0.527-0.667), as compared to 0.577 (95% CI, 0.507-0.648) for peak exercise proANP. Exercise-induced changes in proANP were similar in patients with and without myocardial ischaemia, and showed no correlation with the extent of myocardial ischaemia. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline proANP and peak exercise proANP are significantly higher in patients with myocardial ischaemia. However, because of considerable overlap in proANP levels between patients with and without myocardial ischaemia, neither measurement seems helpful in the detection of myocardial ischaemia in clinical practice.     

Myocardial work is associated with significant left ventricular myocardial fibrosis in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging - Late gadolinium enhancement on cardiac magnetic resonance adds prognostic information in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Whether...     

Plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide: a potential marker for HIV-related cardiomyopathy

One of the most common and life-threatening cardiovascular complications of HIV-infection is severe global left ventricular dysfunction due to primary heart muscle disease. At present, there is no single, cost-effective and reliable method of identifying the highly prevalent HIV-related cardiac dysfunction. Nonetheless, growing evidence supports the hypothesis that brain natriuretic peptide measurement has the potential to detect patients who develop HIV-related cardiomyopathy. If true, this hypothesis would have important clinical and public health implications.     

Early gadolinium enhancement in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a potential premature marker of myocardial damage

Early gadolinium enhancement (EGE), one CMR diagnostic criteria in acute myocarditis, has been related with hyperemia and capillary leakage. The value of EGE in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) remains unknown. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of EGE in patients with HCM, and its relation with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). The association of EGE with morphological and clinical parameters was also evaluated. Sixty consecutive patients with HCM and CMR from our center were included. All the clinical and complementary test information was collected prospectively in our HCM clinic. Left ventricular (LV) measurements were calculated from cine sequences. EGE and LGE were quantified with a dedicated software. Clinical events were collected from medical records. A slow wash-out pattern on EGE was detected in up to 68?% of the patients, being an isolated finding without LGE in 10 (16?%). This cohort showed a greater maximal LV wall thickness (20.1?±?4 vs. 18.1?±?3.5 mm, p?=?0.010) and asymmetry ratio (1.86?±?0.42 vs. 1.62?±?0.46; p?=?0.039). The percentage of EGE/slice and the difference with the percentage LGE/slice demonstrated a significant positive correlation with the maximal LV wall thickness (Rho 0.450 and 0.386 respectively). EGE also correlated with number of segments with LVH (LV hypertrophy) and the asymmetry ratio. Neither EGE nor LGE were associated with classical risk factors, the risk score for sudden cardiac death, or with major clinical events. EGE was a frequent finding in HCM, even in absence of LGE. This phenomenon showed a positive correlation with morphological markers of disease burden.     

Association of elevated plasma B-type natriuretic peptide levels with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in patients with nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between the plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level and the occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients. METHODS: Patients (n=97) were classified into chronic AF (CAF; n=14), paroxysmal AF (PAF; n=18) and normal sinus rhythm (NSR; n=65) groups. The plasma BNP values were analyzed with logarithmic transformation. RESULTS: The PAF group showed significantly higher plasma BNP levels than the NSR group [mean (range; -l SD and +1 SD); 248.3 (143.5, 429.5) vs. 78.2 (27.9, 218.8 ng/L), p<0.0001]. The CAF group also showed significantly higher plasma BNP levels than the NSR group [291.1 (161.4, 524.8 ng/L), p<0.0001]. Multivariate analysis with other clinical factors selected association of PAF as one of the factors that increased the plasma BNP level. CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicated that plasma BNP level is clinically useful for identification of nonobstructive HCM patients who have a risk of PAF.     

Left ventricular function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and its relation to myocardial fibrosis and exercise tolerance

We sought to determine the relation between myocardial extracellular volume (ECV), left ventricular (LV) diastolic function, and exercise tolerance in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Forty five HCM patients with an ejection fraction >50% and no previous septal reduction therapy underwent imaging by CMR and transthoracic echocardiography. CMR was used to quantify LV volumes, mass, EF, LA volumes, scar burden, pre and post contrast T1 relaxation times and ECV. Echocardiography was used to measure outflow tract gradients, mitral inflow and annular velocities, circumferential strain, systolic, early and late diastolic strain rates. Exercise duration and peak oxygen consumption were noted. HCM patients had increased native T1 relaxation time and ECV vs. controls [ECV controls: 24.7 (23.2–26.4) vs. HCM: 26.8 (24.6–31.3)%, P?=?0.014]. Both parameters were significantly associated with LV diastolic dysfunction, circumferential strain, diastolic strain rate and peak oxygen consumption (r?=??0.73, P?<?0.001). Compared to controls, HCM patients have significantly longer native T1 relaxation time and higher ECV. These structural changes lead to worse LV global and segmental diastolic function and in turn reduced exercise tolerance.     

Prognostic value of midregional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide in ventilator-associated pneumonia

Objective  This study aimed to investigate the correlation of midregional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP) with severity of septic status in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and the usefulness of MR-proANP for mortality prediction in VAP. Design  Prospective observational cohort study. Setting  University Hospital. Patients  Seventy-one patients consecutively admitted to ICU who developed VAP. Patients were followed for 28 days after diagnosis, when they were considered survivors. There were no interventions. Results  MR-proANP levels increased from sepsis to severe sepsis and septic shock on D0 and D4 of VAP (0.002 and 0.02 respectively). Median MR-proANP levels on day 0 and day 4 (pmol/L [interquartile range]) were 149.0 (79.8–480.0) and 249.0 (93.6–571.0) in septic patients, 438.5 (229.3–762.0) and 407.5 (197.8–738.0) in severe sepsis, 519.5 (369.5–1282.3) and 632.0 (476.0–1047.5) in septic shock. On day 0 and day 4, MR-proANP levels were significantly higher in non-survivors (525.0 [324.0–957.8] and 679.5 [435.0–879.5], respectively) than in survivors (235.0 [102.0–535.0] and 254.0 [110.0–571.0], respectively; P = 0.004). Univariate logistic regression model for mortality included age, gender, APACHE II score, creatinine, logarithmic transformed MR-proANP (LnMR-proANP). Mortality was directly related to LnMR-proANP on D0 and D4, with odds ratios (OR) of 2.06 (95% CI 1.21–3.51) and 2.63 (1.33–5.23), respectively. In multivariate logistic regression, only LnMR-proANP D0 with OR = 2.35 (1.05–5.26) and LnMR-proANP D4 with OR = 3.76 (1.39–10.18) remained significant. Conclusions  Our data demonstrated that MR-proANP levels increase progressively with the severity of sepsis and are independent predictors of mortality in VAP.     

Midregional pro-A-type natriuretic peptide measurements for diagnosis of acute destabilized heart failure in short-of-breath patients: comparison with B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and amino-terminal proBNP

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to assess the utility of amino-terminal pro-A-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proANP) measurements for the emergency diagnosis of acute destabilized heart failure (HF), using a novel sandwich immunoassay covering midregional epitopes (MR-proANP). METHODS: The retrospective analysis comprised 251 consecutive patients presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital with dyspnea as a chief complaint. The diagnosis of acute destabilized HF was based on the Framingham score for HF plus echocardiographic evidence of systolic or diastolic dysfunction. A commercially available immunoluminometric assay was used for measurement of MR-proANP plasma concentrations. RESULTS: Median MR-proANP plasma concentrations were significantly higher in patients with dyspnea attributable to acute destabilized HF (338 pmol/L; n = 137) than in patients with dyspnea attributable to other reasons (98 pmol/L; n = 114; P <0.001). The area under the curve for MR-proANP was 0.876 (SE = 0.022; 95% confidence interval, 0.829-0.914), and the cutoff concentration with the highest diagnostic accuracy was 169 pmol/L (sensitivity, 89%; specificity, 76%; diagnostic accuracy, 83%). In the setting evaluated, diagnostic information obtained by MR-proANP measurements was similar to that obtained with B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and amino-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) measurements. CONCLUSIONS: MR-proANP measurements may be useful as an aid in the diagnosis of acute destabilized HF in short-of-breath patients presenting to an emergency department. The diagnostic value of MR-proANP appears to be comparable to that of BNP and NT-proBNP.     

Diagnostic power of the mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide for heart failure patients with dyspnea: A meta-analysis

Objective

To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the mid-regional portion of the pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP) for heart failure (HF) in dyspnea patients.

Design and methods

We performed a systematic review of English-language studies published during the past three decades. The performance characteristics (diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and other measures of accuracy) were pooled and examined by random-effects models.

Results

Five studies met the inclusion criteria, which included 1153 patients with HF and 1904 non-HF patients. The summary estimates for MR-proANP in HF diagnosis had a diagnostic sensitivity of 0.90 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.88–0.92), a specificity of 0.68 (95% CI, 0.66–0.70), and a diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of 22.89 (95% CI, 12.54–41.77). The area under the curve (AUC) and Q value for the summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curves were 0.88 and 0.81, respectively.

Conclusion

MR-proANP showed a high diagnostic accuracy for HF in dyspnea patients.     

Head-to-head comparison of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, brain natriuretic peptide and N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide in diagnosing left ventricular dysfunction

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), NT-proBNP and NT-pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (NT-proANP) were measured in blood samples from 57 patients using immunoassays and immunoradiometric assays to evaluate the usefulness as diagnostic markers for the detection of heart failure. For the detection of impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), receiver operating characteristic curves showed that BNP had the best diagnostic performance with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.75±0.06. However, NT-proBNP (AUC: 0.67±0.07) and NT-proANP (AUC: 0.69±0.08) showed no significant difference to BNP. In a further analysis for the detection of resting LVEF <40%, BNP again was the best marker with an AUC of 0.83±0.06. NT-proBNP showed only a slightly smaller AUC (0.79±0.07). The AUC for NT-proANP was significantly smaller (0.65±0.08) compared to BNP. Additionally, BNP and NT-proBNP correlated negatively with the resting LVEF (BNP: −0.472, p<0.001; NT-proBNP: −0.306, p=0.026), whereas NT-proANP showed no significant correlation. In summary, BNP was the best marker to detect patients with impaired LVEF compared to NT-proBNP and NT-proANP. However, NT-proBNP showed no significant differences to BNP and it is therefore a new promising alternative marker for the detection of left ventricular dysfunction.     

实时心肌超声造影评价肥厚型心肌病心肌灌注的研究

目的 应用实时心肌超声造影研究肥厚型心肌病(HCM)患者心肌灌注状况,评价HCM患者心肌微循环障碍.方法 HCM患者20例,正常对照组20例,经肘静脉注射SonoVue行实时心肌超声造影.取闪烁前5个心动周期及闪烁后15个心动周期的心尖四腔、心尖两腔、左心长轴观实时动态图像传输到EchoPAC工作站.启动Q-analysis软件,应用时间一强度曲线分析造影图像.结果 HCM患者左室肥厚节段闪烁后造影平台强度(A)、信号强度增加速率(k)及A×k值与正常人心室肌相应节段测值差异有统计学意义(分别P=0.01,P<0.001,P=0.036).HCM患者左室非肥厚节段A、k及A×k值与正常人心室肌相应节段测值差异有统计学意义(均P<0.001).HCM患者左室肥厚节段A、k、A×k值与HCM非肥厚心肌节段测值差异有统计学意义(P=0.021,P=0.016,P=0.001).相应的标化值:HCM患者左室肥厚节段A/A.,(A×k)/(A.×k.)值明显低于正常人心室肌相应节段(分别P=0.031,P<0.001),HCM患者左室非肥厚节段A/A.及(A×k)/(A.×k.)值明显低于正常人心室肌相应节段(分别P=0.002,P<0.001),HCM患者左室肥厚节段A/A.及(A×k)/(A.×k.)值低于HCM患者非肥厚心肌节段(分别P=0.045,P=0.021).结论 实时心肌超声造影是评价HCM患者心肌微循环障碍的有效方法.     

Diastolic ventricular dysfunction as a marker for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a family with a novel alpha-tropomyosin mutation.

BACKGROUND: Early identification of familial cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) depends on screening echocardiography, but hypertrophy may not be the most sensitive marker for the disease. We report the echocardiographic findings of a family with HCM and a newly reported mutation in the gene (TPM1) encoding alpha-tropomyosin.Methods and results An 8-year-old girl had sudden cardiac death, and was found to have HCM and a novel L185R-TPM1 mutation on postmortem examination. Screening echocardiograms and DNA analyses were performed on her family. Of the 5 remaining family members, 3 were genetically affected. Those without the TPM1 mutation had normal echocardiographic results. The only echocardiographic finding that identified all 3 of the gene-positive family members was an abnormal left ventricular diastolic filling pattern. CONCLUSION: Abnormal left ventricular diastolic filling patterns, indicating diastolic dysfunction, may provide an early marker for the diagnosis of familial HCM in children, even in the absence of left ventricular hypertrophy.     

Myocardial fibrosis in desmin-related hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Desmin-related myopathy (DRM) is known to cause different types of cardiomyopathy. Late gadolinium enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has been shown to identify fibrosis in ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathies. We present a rare case of desmin-related hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, CMR revealed fibrosis in the lateral wall of the left ventricle. CMR is superior to conventional echocardiography for the detection of myocardial fibrosis in desmin-related cardiomyopathy, which may be useful to detect early cardiac involvement and predict the patient prognosis.     

N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide as a biochemical marker of long-term interventional success after radiofrequency catheter ablation of paroxysmal supraventricular tachyarrhythmias.

Radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation has been shown to be highly effective in the treatment of supraventricular tachycardias. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (B-type natriuretic peptide; BNP) are secreted by the heart mainly in response to myocardial stretch induced by volume load. The aim of the present study was to determine the time course of the N-terminal prohormone forms of ANP (NT-proANP) and BNP (NT-proBNP) in patients undergoing radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias. Serial blood samples were taken from 13 patients with symptomatic paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias undergoing RF ablation and from 13 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Blood was taken before ablation (day 0, baseline), and at day one and day 120 after ablation. Levels of NT-proANP were significantly higher before RF ablation (4862+/-726 pmol/l) as compared to day one (2021+/-220 pmol/l) and day 120 after RF ablation (2470+/-349 pmol/l) (with p<0.01 on day one and p<0.05 on day 120; n=13). The size of the left atrium decreased from 41.0+/-5.5 mm before ablation to 34.9+/-5.9 mm (n=13; p<0.05) on day 120 as measured by M-mode echocardiography. Levels of NT-proBNP showed comparable values before and on day one and day 120 after ablation and were not significantly elevated as compared to healthy controls. NT-proANP levels are increased in patients presenting with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias and decrease one day after radiofrequency catheter ablation, possibly reflecting a transient reduction of ANP secretion from injured myocardial cells. Lower NT-proANP levels in the long-term time course may result from reduction of atrial volume load and reconstitution of atrial architecture after successful treatment of supraventricular tachycardias. NT-proANP may serve as a useful laboratory marker to describe the long-term interventional success after RF ablation.     

N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (N-ANP) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (N-BNP) in the prediction of death and heart failure in unselected patients following acute myocardial infarction

Elevated plasma natriuretic peptide levels after AMI (acute myocardial infarction) are associated with adverse outcome. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship of plasma N-ANP (N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide) and N-BNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) with mortality and heart failure following AMI. We studied 403 patients with AMI. Blood was sampled for measurement of N-ANP and N-BNP on a single occasion between 72 and 96 h after symptom onset. Natriuretic peptide levels were related to all-cause mortality and heart failure episodes. During follow up (median, 462 days; range 5-764), 43 (10.7%), 25 (6.2%) and 49 (12.2%) patients suffered death, heart failure hospitalization and outpatient heart failure respectively. Only N-BNP (P < 0.0005), N-ANP (P = 0.005) and previous AMI (P = 0.016) were independently predictive of death. N-BNP, but not N-ANP, predicted 30-day mortality. N-ANP, but not N-BNP, predicted mortality after 30 days. N-BNP was the better predictor of heart failure. N-ANP and N-BNP were above the median in 35 and 38 respectively, of 43 patients who later died. N-ANP, N-BNP, or both were above the median in 41 out of 43 patients. Of 25 patients hospitalized with heart failure, N-ANP and N-BNP was above the median in 20 and 24 respectively, and one or other was elevated in all cases. Above-median N-ANP predicted 36 and N-BNP predicted 41 out of 49 episodes of outpatient heart failure. One or other peptide was above the median in 45 out of 49 patients. Our results indicate that N-BNP predicts 30-day and N-ANP >30-day mortality. We conclude that consideration of both N-ANP and N-BNP identifies a greater number of patients at risk of death or heart failure than either peptide alone.