Myocardial hypertrophy after pulmonary regurgitation and valve implantation in pigs.

Background: Patients may suffer from right ventricular (RV) failure and malignant cardiac arrhythmias after late pulmonary valve replacement correcting pulmonary regurgitation (PR). But the underlying mechanisms of the refractory arrhythmias are not well understood.

Methods: The aim of present study was to characterize the RV myocardium after percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) in a porcine model after severe PR for 3months.

The Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and mismeasurement of gastrin.

Background & Aims: Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES) is characterized by hypersecretion of gastric acid, severe peptic ulcerations in the upper small intestine, and diarrhea. It is usually diagnosed by measuring increased levels of gastrin in plasma.

Methods: We examined the accuracy of commercial kits to measure gastrin (7 radioimmunoassays and 5 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays), using plasma from 40 patients suspected or known to have ZES.

Modulation of the major paths of carbon in photorespiratory mutants of synechocystis.

Background: Recent studies using transcript and metabolite profiles of wild-type and gene deletion mutants revealed that photorespiratory pathways are essential for the growth of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 under atmospheric conditions. Pool size changes of primary metabolites, such as glycine and glycolate, indicated a link to photorespiration.

Effect of high intensity exercise on peak oxygen uptake and endothelial function in long-term heart transplant recipients.

Coronary allograft vasculopathy is a well-known long-term complication after cardiac transplantation. Endothelial dysfunction is involved and may be prevented by aerobic exercise. The purpose of this study was to examine whether high intensity aerobic exercise improves peak oxygen uptake (VO(2 peak) ) and endothelial function in heart transplant (HT) recipients.

Moderate exercise does not increase the severity of mitral regurgitation due to mitral valve prolapse.

Background: Mitral regurgitation (MR) secondary to ischemic heart disease (IHD) increases during exercise. We tested the hypothesis that the same is also true for MR due to mitral valve prolapse (MVP).

Methods: Consecutive patients with asymptomatic MR of varying severity underwent exercise test on a supine bicycle with workload up to a maximum of 100 W.

Prognostic assessment of elderly patients with symptoms of heart failure by combining high-sensitivity troponin T and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide measurements.

Background: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a useful biomarker in heart failure assessment, whereas measurement of cardiac troponin is central in the diagnosis of patients with acute coronary syndromes. This report examined the prognostic use of combining high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) and NT-proBNP measurements in elderly patients presenting to a primary care center with symptoms associated with heart failure.

Methods: A total of 470 elderly patients (age range 65-86 years) presenting with symptoms of heart failure were recruited from primary healthcare.

Decreased expression of natriuretic peptides associated with lipid accumulation in cardiac ventricle of obese mice.

Plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and proBNP are established markers of cardiac dysfunction. Even though obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, obese individuals have reduced plasma concentrations of natriuretic peptides. The underlying mechanism is not established.

Processing-independent analysis for pro-C-type natriuretic peptide.

C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is expressed in several human tissues. We designed a specific processing-independent assay for proCNP-derived products and quantitated the concentrations in human seminal plasma from normal and vasectomized men. Antibodies were raised against the N-terminus of human proCNP 11-27.

C-type natriuretic-derived peptides as biomarkers in human disease.

The natriuretic peptide system comprises three structurally related peptides: atrial natriuretic peptide, B-type natriuretic peptide and C-type natriuretic peptide. In circulation, they play an important endocrine role in the regulation of cardiovascular homeostasis by maintaining blood pressure and extracellular fluid volume. Atrial natriuretic peptide and B-type natriuretic peptide have gained considerable diagnostic interest as biomarkers in cardiovascular disease.

Impact of diuretic treatment and sodium intake on plasma volume in patients with compensated systolic heart failure.

Aims: In patients with heart failure (HF), the use of diuretics may be a double-edged sword that can alleviate symptoms of congestion, but also result in over-diuresis and intravascular volume depletion. The purpose of the present study was to examine plasma volume (PV) in HF patients receiving from 0 to 160 mg of furosemide and to investigate whether determination of plasma N-terminal fragment of pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentrations can predict PV-status.

Methods And Results: Plasma volume, extracellular volume, glomerular filtration rate, NT-proBNP, and daily renal sodium excretion were measured in 18 patients with medically treated, compensated HF and in 27 healthy volunteers.

Natriuretic pro-peptides in idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is a disorder of unknown pathogenesis. Natriuretic peptides may be involved in intracranial pressure regulation, but cerebrospinal fluid (CNS) and plasma concentrations in this disorder are unknown. We evaluated venous and intrathecal concentrations of ANP, BNP and CNP precursor peptides in 40 patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension and in 20 controls.

Practical application of natriuretic peptides in paediatric cardiology.

It is still uncertain if cardiac natriuretic peptides are useful biomarkers in paediatric cardiology. In this review we identify four clinical scenarios in paediatric cardiology, where clinical decision-making can be difficult, and where we feel the paediatric cardiologists need additional diagnostic tools. Natriuretic peptide measurements could be that extra tool.

Chamber-dependent circadian expression of cardiac natriuretic peptides.

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) have important local functions within the myocardium, where they protect against accelerated fibrosis. As circadian expression of cardiac natriuretic peptides could be of importance in local cardiac protection against disease, we examined the diurnal changes of the mRNAs encoding ANP, BNP, and their common receptor NPR-A in atrial and ventricular myocardium. Forty eight mice were killed at the following ZT times: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24, where ZT designates Zeitgeber; ZT 0 corresponds to lights ON and ZT 12 corresponds to lights OFF.

Increased NT-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide independently predicts outcome following catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Aims: To investigate whether NT-proBNP before ablation treatment and after exercise testing has predictive information regarding the clinical outcome following pulmonary vein isolation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: NT-proBNP analysis were obtained before the ablation (before and after exercise test), and repeated at 1, 3, and 12 months after the final procedure.

Results: A total of 51 patients were included.

Biosynthesis of cardiac natriuretic peptides.

Cardiac-derived peptide hormones were identified more than 25 years ago. An astonishing amount of clinical studies have established cardiac natriuretic peptides and their molecular precursors as useful markers of heart disease. In contrast to the clinical applications, the biogenesis of cardiac peptides has only been elucidated during the last decade.

Preclinical systolic and diastolic dysfunction assessed by tissue Doppler imaging is associated with elevated plasma pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentrations.

Background: Heart failure is a major public health problem. To improve its grave prognosis, early identification of cardiac dysfunction is mandatory. Conventional echocardiography is not suitable for this.

Effect of estimated glomerular filtration rate on plasma concentrations of B-type natriuretic peptides measured with multiple immunoassays in elderly individuals.

Objective: This study was designed to quantify the crude and adjusted effects of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) on N-terminal-pro-brain-natriuretic peptide (proBNP) measured with three immunoassays and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in elderly individuals.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: 474 elderly outpatients with suspected heart failure (prevalence 13%) from the primary care.

Cardiac dysfunction assessed by echocardiographic tissue Doppler imaging is an independent predictor of mortality in the general population.

Background: Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) detects left ventricular dysfunction in patients with heart failure and normal ejection fraction, but the prognostic significance of left ventricular dysfunction by TDI in the general population is unknown.

Methods And Results: Within the Copenhagen City Heart Study, a large community-based population study, cardiac function was evaluated in 1036 participants by both conventional echocardiography and TDI. Averages of peak systolic (s'), early diastolic (e'), and late diastolic (a') velocities from 6 mitral annular sites were used.

C-type natriuretic peptide in prostate cancer.

C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is expressed in the male reproductive organs in pigs. To examine whether the human prostate also expresses the CNP gene, we measured CNP and N-terminal proCNP in prostate cancer tissue extracts and performed immunohistochemical biopsy staining. Additionally, proCNP-derived peptides were quantitated in plasma from patients with prostate cancer.

Increased urinary orosomucoid excretion: a proposed marker for inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: In a previous study, urinary orosomucoid excretion rate (UOER) independently predicted cardiovascular mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. The aim of the present study was to determine whether increased UOER is associated with cardiovascular risk factors such as inflammation, impaired left ventricular function and endothelial dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Material And Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of 41 patients with type 2 diabetes (17 patients with normal UOER and 24 with increased UOER) with no history of cardiovascular disease and 21 healthy controls.

Impact of epitope specificity and precursor maturation in pro-B-type natriuretic peptide measurement.

Background: Cardiac-derived natriuretic peptides are sensitive plasma markers of cardiac dysfunction. Recent reports have disclosed a more complex molecular heterogeneity of B-type natriuretic peptide precursor (proBNP)-derived peptides than previously suggested. In this study, we examined the impact of epitope specificity and precursor maturation on plasma measurement of proBNP-derived peptides.