N-terminal fragment of pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) for predicting silent myocardial ischaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus independent of microalbuminuria.

Background: In the early identification of cardiovascular risk, it is essential to establish a biological marker for cardiac complications that is comparable to albuminuria for nephropathy. We tested the hypothesis that N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) might be a marker for silent myocardial ischaemia in diabetes.

Methods: In forty consecutively recruited subjects without evident coronary artery disease, serum NT-proBNP was measured together with multi-slice computed tomography.