N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Predicts Significant Coronary Artery Lesion in the Unstable Angina Patients With Normal Electrocardiogram, Echocardiogram, and Cardiac Enzymes

Background Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are not specific for ventricular dysfunction and other cardiac processes, such as myocardial ischemia, may also cause elevation of these markers. Methods and Results To determine whether elevation of NT-proBNP without elevation of cardiac specific markers can predict coronary artery disease (CAD), the serum level of NT-proBNP was measured in 161 patients with unstable angina (61.0±8.1 years, male 54.0%) with normal ventricular function (left ventricular ejection fraction >55% and no regional wall motion abnormality by echocardiography) and normal troponin I level (