77621-1

LOINC code 77621-1 identifies "Natriuretic peptide.B prohormone N-Terminal [Mass/volume] in Pleural fluid by Immunoassay". Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and amino-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) are significantly elevated in patients with heart failure because tension or stretching of the cardiac wall, such as occurs with heart failure, stimulates the synthesis of natriuretic peptides. Pleural fluid BNP and NT-proBNP is a useful biomarker for pleural effusions secondary to heart failure. A pleural NT-proBNP cutoff value of 1,165 pg/mL had a sensitivity of approximately 95% for discriminating heart failure-related effusions from exudates, and a cutoff of 2,300 pg/mL had a sensitivity of approximately 70% for discriminating heart failure-related transudates from non-heart-failure related pleural effusions. [PMID: 22710710] This term was created for, but is not restricted in use to, the Elecsys proBNP II assay, which contains two monoclonal antibodies that recognize epitopes located in the N-terminal part (1-76) of proBNP (1-108).

This code measures Natriuretic peptide.B prohormone N-Terminal in Plr fld. It belongs to the CHEM class in the LOINC classification.

LOINC (Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes) is a universal standard for identifying laboratory and clinical observations. It is maintained by the Regenstrief Institute and used worldwide for health data exchange.