Meta-analysis of B-type natriuretic peptide in diagnosis of congestive heart failure in different clinical settings

Meta-analysis of B-type natriuretic peptide in diagnosis of congestive heart failure in different clinical settings Osama E Elkhateeb Iqbal Bata Simon JacksonDalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaBackground: B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a neurohormone released from the left ventricle in response to ventricular wall stress and pressure overload. BNP testing has been developed, and aids in identification of patients with suspected congestive heart failure (CHF). The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of BNP as a diagnostic marker of CHF, and determine its value in different clinical settings.Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies regarding BNP and CHF was conducted. A comprehensive search of Medline, the Cochrane Library, and the reference sections of the primary studies was done. The methodologic quality of each study that met the inclusion criteria was assessed. The results of individual studies were described. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Estimation of the diagnostic accuracy was done using meta-regression of the diagnostic odds ratio and summarized by a summary receiver-operating curve (S-ROC).Results: In total, 32 studies (n