|
|
 |
 |
|
|
| Determinants of plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide after acute ischaemic stroke or TIA |
|
September 2007
Plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) are frequently elevated after an acute stroke and have been shown to be an independent predictor of mortality. However, the relationships between stroke and BNP concentrations have not yet been systematically investigated.
E. Di Angelantonio, MD, and his colleagues from the Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Italy, performed plasma BNP assays and echocardiography in 48 patients with ischaemic stroke or TIA with a mean delay of 12.7 h after onset.
The investigators found that the median BNP concentration was 88.6 pg/mL (range 5–1270) and that advanced age, chronic heart failure, atrial fibrillation, stroke severity, lower haemoglobin levels, lower left ventricular ejection fraction, and abnormalities of the left atrium or appendage (LA/LAA) were univariately associated with increased BNP levels.
At multivariable analysis, the authors found that the presence of at least one LA/LAA abnormality (atrial dilatation, low flow velocity, spontaneous echocontrast or thrombus) had the strongest association with BNP, explaining 38.9% of the variance in the whole sample and 28.5% of the variance in patients without atrial fibrillation.
The authors concluded that in acute ischaemic stroke patients, elevated plasma BNP levels have multiple determinants, among which left atrial disease appears to be the strongest, even in patients without atrial fibrillation.
The authors pointed out that these results should encourage further investigation of the plasma BNP concentration as a potential marker of the presence of left atrial sources of emboli.
Reference:
J Neurol Sci 2007; 260 (1-2): 139–142.
 Back to selection
|
|
 |
|
|
|
