ABSTRACT
AIM: The clinical and prognostic role of cardiac natriuretic peptides (CNP) in patients with heart failure is well known; recently, several studies have evaluated the possibility of using CNP to evaluate their potential prognostic role in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the short term prognostic value of NT-proBNP in 70 patients admitted for ACS. METHODS: The authors studied 70 patients with ACS, evaluating, at admission, clinical-anamnestic, instrumental and laboratory characteristics including NT-proBNP plasma levels. Patients were monitored in a 6-month-follow-up to record adverse fatal events and their possible correlation with baseline characteristics. RESULTS: The incidence of adverse events during the follow-up period was 28% (10 patients). In patients with adverse events, the authors observed lower left ventricle ejection fraction (P=0.01), higher prevalence of ST elevation myocardial infarction (P=0.03) and higher NT-proBNP levels (P=0.03), compared to those without adverse events. Moreover, the logistic regression analysis underlined how ST elevation myocardial infarction (P=0.05) and higher NT-proBNP levels (P=0.05) were the only predictive variables for adverse events during the follow up period. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the short term prognostic role of NT-pro BNP in patients admitted for ACS.
Subject(s)
Myocardial Infarction/blood , Natriuretic Peptide, Brain/blood , Peptide Fragments/blood , Aged , Biomarkers/blood , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Logistic Models , Male , Middle Aged , Predictive Value of Tests , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Spirulina has been used for many years as human food because of its high protein content and nutritional value. Some strains also produce bioactive substances that may inhibit or promote microbial growth. Lactococcus lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus bulgaricus were grown in rich media, MRS and RM, as well as in minimal saline medium with and without addition of extracellular products obtained from a late log phase culture of Spirulina platensis in Zarrouk medium. In both MRS and RM media, the extracellular products significantly promote the growth of the lactic acid bacteria assayed. This stimulatory effect was observed in media with pH adjusted to 5.3, 6.3 and 7.0. No effect was observed in minimal saline medium.
