The purpose of this study is to systematically review the accuracy of …

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Biology Articles » Medicine » Emergency Medicine » The utility of B-type natriuretic peptide in the diagnosis of heart failure in the emergency department: a systematic review » Conclusion

Conclusion

- The utility of B-type natriuretic peptide in the diagnosis of heart failure in the emergency department: a systematic review

In summary, our analysis suggests that BNP performs moderately as a diagnostic test for HF in the emergency department, with very high and very low values contributing significantly to making a diagnosis. Most of the studies recruited a wide spectrum of patients presenting with dyspnea, including patients with diagnostic uncertainty as well as patients with more apparent diagnoses in whom a diagnostic test might not be used in clinical practice. In order to clarify the true performance of this diagnostic test among patients in whom it is needed, studies which include only patients with diagnostic uncertainty should be performed. Until then, BNP can be best utilized by interpreting separate cutoffs for ruling in HF and ruling out HF. The BASEL study provides good evidence of the utility of BNP in a more severely ill population in Switzerland, but its findings may not be generalizable to different populations.