S. Del Ry et al., Measurement of brain natriuretic peptide in plasma samples and cardiac tissue extracts by means of an immunoradiometric assay method, SC J CL INV, 60(2), 2000, pp. 81-90
Citations number
38
Categorie Soggetti
Research/Laboratory Medicine & Medical Tecnology","Medical Research General Topics
Journal title
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL & LABORATORY INVESTIGATION
We evaluated the analytical characteristics and clinical usefulness of a co
mmercial immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) kit for brain natriuretic peptide (
BNP). Mean (+/-SD) plasma BNP concentrations measured in 129 normal subject
s were 2.9+/-2.7 pmol/l (median 2.2 pmol/l; range 0.1-12.4 pmol/l). The mea
n (+/-SD) value observed in healthy men (2.1+/-2.0 pmol/l, n=49) was signif
icantly (p=0.0009) different to that found in women (3.4+/-2.9 pmol/l, n=80
). A positive relationship (R=0.214, p=0.0174) was found between BNP values
and age; In 65 patients with cardiac diseases, BNP levels increased with t
he progression of clinical severity of disease; patients with more severe d
isease [NYHA functional class III-IV, mean (+/-SD) BNP=254+/-408 pmol/l, n=
22] showed significantly (p<0.0001) increased values compared to patients w
ith mild symptoms of disease (NYHA functional class I-II, mean (+/-SD) BNP=
19.6+/-17.2 pmol/l, n=43). Furthermore, in 32 patients with chronic renal f
ailure, greatly increased (p<0.0001) BNP Values were found both before (mea
n+/-SD=88.1+/-111.1 pmol/l) and after haemodialysis (mean +/- SD=65.6+/-76.
7 pmol/l), with a significant reduction after haemodialysis (p=0.0004) comp
ared to pre-haemodialysis. The mean (+/-SD) BNP value found in atrial extra
cts collected during aorto-coronary bypass operations in 15 patients was 14
.5+/-51.9 pmol/g of cardiac tissue. Moreover, the mean (+/-SD) tissue level
s of BNP in 7 heart transplant recipients were 128.4+/-117.2 pmol/g of card
iac tissue in atrium, 68.4+/-76.7 pmol/g in ventricle, and 10.9+/-8.5 pmol/
g in interventricular septum. Finally, BNP values found in cardiac tissues
of two subjects collected at autopsy were considerably lower (on average 1/
1000) than those observed in cardiac tissues of patients with cardiac disea
ses. The IRMA method for BNP determination evaluated in this study showed a
good degree of sensitivity, precision and practicability. Therefore, this
method should be a reliable tool for the measurement of plasma BNP levels f
or both experimental studies and routine assay.