High intraindividual variation of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and amino-terminal proBNP in patients with stable chronic heart failure.

Background: Plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) are promising markers for heart failure diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Insufficient data on the intraindividual biological variation (CV(i)) of BNP and NT-proBNP hamper interpretation of changes in concentration on disease progression or treatment optimization. We therefore investigated CV(i) values in stable heart failure patients.

Evidence for a metabolic shift of arginine metabolism in sickle cell disease.

Over the last few years, a pivotal role has been ascribed to reduced nitric oxide (NO) availability as a contributing factor to the vaso-occlusive process of sickle cell disease. We investigated whether arginine metabolism in sickle cell patients is different from healthy controls. Blood samples were drawn by venipuncture in the fasting state from 8 clinically asymptomatic HbSS patients and 14 race-matched HbAA controls.

High serum interleukin-8 levels in afro-caribbean women with pre-eclampsia. Relations with tumor necrosis factor-alpha, duffy negative phenotype and von Willebrand factor.

Problem: Pre-eclampsia is characterized by neutrophil activation. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a strong neutrophil chemo-attractant and activator.

Method Of Study: We measured serum IL-8 in 13 pre-eclamptic Afro-Caribbean women and 13 gestational age-, race- and parity-matched normotensive and non-proteinuric controls.

The association of pre-eclampsia with the Duffy negative phenotype in women of West African descent.

Objective: To investigate whether pre-eclampsia in Curaçao is associated with the Duffy negative phenotype.

Design: Retrospective study.

Results: Women with a history of pre-eclampsia had a higher Duffy negative phenotype frequency compared with women with a history of uncomplicated pregnancies (52.

Optimization of folic acid, vitamin B(12), and vitamin B(6) supplements in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease.

Using homocysteine as a functional marker, we determined optimal folic acid, vitamin B(12), and vitamin B(6) dosages in 21 pediatric sickle cell disease (SCD) patients (11 HbSS, 10 HbSC; 7-16 years). Daily supplements of folic acid (400, 700, or 1,000 microg), vitamin B(12) (1, 3, or 5 U.S.