BNP as a biomarker study
A new study has suggested that using N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) as a marker to guide therapy in the treatment of heart failure, is not associated with any improvement in all-cause outcome over conventional symptom-guided therapy (JAMA 2009;301:383–92).
The study (Trial of Intensified vs. Standard Medical Therapy in Elderly Patients With Congestive Heart Failure [TIME-CHF]) was performed in 499 patients age 60 years or older hospitalised for heart failure within the past year and with N-terminal BNP levels at least twice the upper limit of normal. The subjects were randomised to receive treatment to r
