%0 Journal Article
%T High circulating N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and tumor necrosis factor- in mixed cryoglobulinemia
%A Alessandro Antonelli
%A Clodoveo Ferri
%A Silvia Martina Ferrari
%A Fabio Galetta
%A Ferdinando Franzoni
%A Gino Santoro
%A Salvatore De Marco
%A Emiliano Ghiri
%A Poupak Fallahi
%J World Journal of Gastroenterology
%D 2009
%I Baishideng Publishing Group Co. Limited
%X AIM: To evaluate serum levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) and tumor necrosis factor ¦Á (TNF-¦Á) in a large series of patients with hepatitis C associated with mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC+HCV).METHODS: Serum NTproBNP and TNF-¦Á levels were assayed in 50 patients with MC+HCV, and in 50 sex- and age-matched controls.RESULTS: Cryoglobulinemic patients showed significantly higher mean NTproBNP and TNF-¦Á levels than controls (P < 0.001; Mann-Whitney U test). By defining high NTproBNP level as a value higher than 125 pg/mL (the single cut-off point for outpatients under 75 years of age), 30% of MC+HCV and 6% of controls had high NTproBNP (¦Ö2, P < 0.01). With a cut-off point of 300 pg/mL (used to rule out heart failure (HF) in patients under 75 years of age), 8% of MC+HCV and 0 controls had high NTproBNP (¦Ö2, P < 0.04). With a cut-off point of 900 pg/mL (used for ruling in HF in patients aged 50-75 years; such as the patients of our study), 6% of MC+HCV and 0 controls had high NTproBNP (¦Ö2, P = 0.08).CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates high levels of circulating NTproBNP and TNF-¦Á in MC+HCV patients. The increase of NTproBNP may indicate the presence of a subclinical cardiac dysfunction.
%K NTProBNP
%K Tumor necrosis factor ¦Á
%K Hepatitis C
%K Mixed cryoglobulinemia
%K Heart failure
%U http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/full/v15/i40/5074.htm