Prepared for:

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

540 Gaither Road

Rockville, MD 20850

www.ahrq.gov

Contract No. 290-02-0020

Prepared by: McMaster University Evidence-based Practice Center, Hamilton, ON, Canada

Task Order Leaders:

Cynthia Balion, Ph.D., F.C.A.C.B.

Parminder Raina, Ph.D. (EPC Director)

Authors:

Cynthia Balion, Ph.D., F.C.A.C.B.

P. Lina Santaguida, P.T., Ph.D.

Stephen Hill, Ph.D., F.C.A.C.B.

Andrew Worster, M.D., M.Sc.

Matthew McQueen, M.B.Ch.B. Ph.D., F.C.A.C.B., F.R.C.P.C.

Mark Oremus, Ph.D.

Robert S. McKelvie, M.D., Ph.D., F.R.C.P.C.

Lynda Booker, B.A.

Joshua Fagbemi, M.Sc.

Sonja Reichert, B.Sc., M.Sc.

Parminder Raina, Ph.D.

AHRQ Publication No. 06-E014

September 2006

This document is in the public domain and may be used and reprinted without permission except those copyrighted materials noted for which further reproduction is prohibited without the specific permission of copyright holders.

Suggested Citation:

Balion C, Santaguida P, Hill S, Worster A, McQueen M, Oremus M, McKelvie R, Booker L, Fagbemi J, Reichert S, Raina P. Testing for BNP and NT-proBNP in the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Heart Failure. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment No. 142. (Prepared by the McMaster University Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-02-0020). AHRQ Publication No. 06-E014. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. September 2006.

This report is based on research conducted by the McMaster University Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) under contract to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Rockville, MD (Contract No. 290-02-0020).The findings and conclusions in this document are those of the author(s) who are responsible for its contents; the findings and conclusions do not necessarily represent the views of AHRQ. Therefore, no statement in this article should be construed as an official position of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality or of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The information in this report is intended to help health care decisionmakers; patients and clinicians, health system leaders, and policymakers, make well-informed decisions and thereby improve the quality of health care services. This report is not intended to be a substitute for the application of clinical judgment.

This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice guidelines and other quality enhancement tools, or as a basis for reimbursement and coverage policies. AHRQ or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorsement of such derivative products may not be stated or implied.

Financial Disclosure Statement:

Drs. Hill, McQueen, and Worster have worked on BNP-related projects with Roche Diagnostics. Drs. Santaguida, Raina, McKelvie, Balion, and Oremus have no financial interest in this field, nor do Mr. Fagbemi, Ms. Booker, or Ms. Reichert.