Key result
Patients with TIA accompanied by nonfocal symptoms had significantly higher mean NT-proBNP levels compared to those with large-vessel TIA (40.5 vs 14.2 pmol/L; P=0.049).
Why the study?
Are serum NT-proBNP levels increased in patients with TIA accompanied by nonfocal symptoms compared to large-vessel TIA?
Observational (n=220)
Are serum NT-proBNP levels increased in patients with TIA accompanied by nonfocal symptoms compared to large-vessel TIA?
Absolute Event Rate: 40.5% vs 14.2%
p-value: p=0.049
NT-proBNP levels are elevated in patients with TIA accompanied by nonfocal symptoms, suggesting a potential link to underlying cardiac dysfunction.
May prompt cardiac assessment in nonfocal TIA; leaves open NT-proBNP utility for risk stratification.
BACKGROUND: Transient nonfocal neurological symptoms may serve as markers of cardiac dysfunction. We assessed whether serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels, a biomarker of cardiac disease, are increased in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) accompanied by nonfocal symptoms and in patients with attacks of nonfocal symptoms (transient neurological attack [TNA]). METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 15 patients with TNA, 69 with TIA accompanied by nonfocal symptoms, 58 with large-vessel TIA, 32 with cardioembolic TIA, and 46 age- and sex-matched healthy control participants. Serum NT-proBNP levels were determined within 1 week after the attack. We compared log-transformed NT-proBNP levels of patients with cardioembolic TIAs and mixed or nonfocal TNAs, with those of patients with noncardioembolic TIAs as a reference group. Adjustments for age, sex, atrial fibrillation, and a history of nonischemic heart disease were made with a multiple linear regression model. Compared with large-vessel TIA (mean 14.2 pmol/L), mean NT-proBNP levels were significantly higher in patients with TIA accompanied by nonfocal symptoms (40.5 pmol/L, P=0.049) and with cardioembolic TIA (123.5 pmol/L; P=0.004) after adjustments for age, sex, atrial fibrillation, and a history of nonischemic heart disease. Patients with TNA also had higher mean NT-proBNP levels (20.8 pmol/L, P=0.38) than those with large-vessel TIA, but this difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: NT-proBNP levels are increased in patients with TIA accompanied by nonfocal symptoms.
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Plas et al. (2015) conducted an observational in Transient ischemic attack and transient neurological attack (n=220). TIA accompanied by nonfocal symptoms vs. Large-vessel TIA was evaluated on Mean serum NT-proBNP levels (pmol/L) (p=0.049). Patients with TIA accompanied by nonfocal symptoms had significantly higher mean NT-proBNP levels compared to those with large-vessel TIA (40.5 vs 14.2 pmol/L; P=0.049).
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