Rat Copeptin ELISA Kit

Aims Though various neurohormonal systems are concurrently activated during heart failure (HF), their biological effectors are not always easy to measure due to their short life in vivo, instability in biological samples, or very low concentrations. We measured the plasma concentrations of four stable precursor fragments of neurohormonal systems in patients with chronic HF and evaluated their relationship with outcome. Methods and results This study was performed in 1237 patients with chronic and stable HF enrolled in the GISSI-heart failure trial (GISSI-HF). The following four precursor fragments, mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP), mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM), C-terminal pro-endothelin-1 (CT-proET-1) and C-terminal pro-vasopressin (CT-proAVP or copeptin), were measured at randomization and after 3 months. Baseline concentrations were independent predictors of clinical outcome (median follow-up 3.9 years). The addition of MR-proANP improved net reclassification for mortality when added to multivariable models based on clinical risk factors alone [net reclassification improvement (NRI) = 0.12, P = 0.0007] or together with NT-proBNP (NRI = 0.06, P = 0.01). Changes in MR-proANP concentrations were related to mortality [HR (95% CI) 1.38 (0.99-1.93), P = 0.0614 and 1.58 (1.13-2.21), P = 0.0078 in the middle and highest vs. lowest tertiles], while changes in the other markers were not. Conclusion In patients with chronic and stable HF enrolled in a multicentre, randomized, clinical trial, measurement of stable precursor fragments of vasoactive peptides provided prognostic information independent of natriuretic peptides which are currently the best biomarkers for risk stratification.

Objective: To explore biomarkers indicating cardiovascular disease in pregnant women with diabetes or preeclampsia, since these women are at increased risk for future cardiovascular disease. Study design: EDTA-plasma from 262 women in gestational week 24-42 (healthy pregnancies n = 71, preeclampsia n = 105, type 2 diabetes n = 17, gestational diabetes n = 61, diabetes with preeclampsia n = 8) was analyzed by immunoassay for neopterin, midregional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) and C-terminal pro-arginine vasopressin (CT-proAVP). The diabetes groups were also analyzed for midregional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP), and compared to previously reported MR-proANP concentrations for healthy, normotensive and preeclamptic patients. Results: In contrast to preeclampsia, median plasma MR-proANP was not increased in pregnancies complicated by diabetes, but in fact lower, compared to healthy pregnancies. Neopterin was increased in diabetic pregnancies and in late onset preeclampsia, compared to healthy pregnancies. Median plasma MR-proADM was increased in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes or preeclampsia, compared to healthy pregnancies. Median plasma MR-proANP was increased in diabetic pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia compared to pregnant women with diabetes only. Conclusion: Women with pregnancies complicated by diabetes mellitus or preeclampsia are at risk for future cardiovascular disease, but differ in circulating cardiovascular biomarker profile. A cardiovascular biomarker profiling during pregnancy might prove helpful in identifying women at risk for future cardiovascular disease, thus enabling targeted prophylactic interventions and follow-up. (C) 2012 International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.