Long-term stability of endogenous B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and amino terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) in frozen plasma samples
-
Thomas Mueller
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to assess the long-term stability of endogenous B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and amino terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) in plasma samples stored at –20°C without addition of protease inhibitors (e.g., aprotinin). Stability of BNP and NT-proBNP was tested in 60 EDTA plasma samples with BNP values between 30 and 420 pg/ml. Initial BNP and NT-proBNP plasma concentrations were determined within four hours after blood collection using the AxSYM BNP and the Elecsys NT-proBNP assays. Subsequently, all samples were stored at –20°C and were thawed for the second BNP and NT-proBNP determination on the two instruments after one day, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days and 120 days, respectively. Mean recovery (i.e., residual immunoreactivity) of BNP and NT-proBNP expressed in percent of the initial value for the given time interval of storage was calculated. Mean recovery of BNP was less than 70% after one day of storage at –20°C and decreased to less than 50% after two to four months of storage (e.g., recovery of endogenous BNP after three months of storage at –20°C ranging from 0% to 71%). In contrast, mean recovery of NT-proBNP was generally greater than 90%, irrespective of the duration of storage at –20°C (e.g., recovery of endogenous NT-proBNP after three months of storage at –20°C ranging from 91% to 112%). In conclusion, the determination of endogenous BNP with the AxSYM assay using frozen plasma samples may not be valid under the conditions tested. In contrast, NT-proBNP as measured by the Elecsys assay may be stored at –20°C for at least four months without a relevant loss of the immunoreactive analyte.
References
1 McCullough PA, Omland T, Maisel AS. B-type natriuretic peptides: a diagnostic breakthrough for clinicians. Rev Cardiovasc Med 2003; 4:72–80.Search in Google Scholar
2 Troughton RW, Frampton CM, Yandle TG, Espiner EA, Nicholls MG, Richards AM. Treatment of heart failure guided by plasma amino terminal brain natriuretic peptide (N-BNP) concentrations. Lancet 2000; 355:1126–30.10.1016/S0140-6736(00)02060-2Search in Google Scholar
3 Murdoch DR, McDonagh TA, Byrne J, Blue L, Farmer R, Morton JJ, Dargie HJ. Titration of vasodilator therapy in chronic heart failure according to plasma brain natriuretic peptide concentration: randomized comparison of the hemodynamic and neuroendocrine effects of tailored versus empirical therapy. Am Heart J 1999; 138:1126–32.10.1016/S0002-8703(99)70079-7Search in Google Scholar
4 Gegenhuber A, Mueller T, Firlinger F, Lenz K, Poelz W, Haltmayer M. Time course of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal proBNP changes in patients with decompensated heart failure. Clin Chem 2004; 50:454–6.10.1373/clinchem.2003.028712Search in Google Scholar
5 Buckley MG, Marcus NJ, Yacoub MH, Singer DR. Prolonged stability of brain natriuretic peptide: importance for non-invasive assessment of cardiac function in clinical practice. Clin Sci 1998; 95:235–9.10.1042/CS19980045Search in Google Scholar
6 Murdoch DR, Byrne J, Farmer R, Morton JJ. Disparity between studies of the stability of BNP in blood: comparison of endogenous and exogenous peptide. Heart 1999; 81:212–3.10.1136/hrt.81.2.212Search in Google Scholar
7 Shimizu H, Aono K, Masuta K, Asada H, Misaki A, Teraoka H. Stability of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in human blood samples. Clin Chim Acta 1999; 285:169–72.10.1016/S0009-8981(99)00112-6Search in Google Scholar
8 Downie PF, Talwar S, Squire IB, Davies JE, Barnett DB, Ng LL. Assessment of the stability of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in vitro: implications for assessment of left ventricular dysfunction. Clin Sci 1999; 97:255–8.10.1042/CS19990084Search in Google Scholar
9 Buckley MG, Marcus NJ, Yacoub MH. Cardiac peptide stability, aprotinin and room temperature: importance for assessing cardiac function in clinical practice. Clin Sci 1999; 97:689–95.10.1042/CS19990194Search in Google Scholar
10 Gobinet-Georges A, Valli N, Filliatre H, Dubernet MF, Dedeystere O, Bordenave L. Stability of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in human whole blood and plasma. Clin Chem Lab Med 2000; 38:519–23.10.1515/CCLM.2000.076Search in Google Scholar
11 Evans MJ, Livesey JH, Ellis MJ, Yandle TG. Effect of anticoagulants and storage temperatures on stability of plasma and serum hormones. Clin Biochem 2001; 34:107–12.10.1016/S0009-9120(01)00196-5Search in Google Scholar
12 Yeo KT, Wu AH, Apple FS, Kroll MH, Christenson RH, Lewandrowski KB, Sedor FA, Butch AW. Multicenter evaluation of the Roche NT-proBNP assay and comparison to the Biosite Triage BNP assay. Clin Chim Acta 2003; 338:107–15.10.1016/j.cccn.2003.08.016Search in Google Scholar PubMed
13 National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. Evaluation of precision performance of clinical chemistry devices; approved guideline. NCCLS document EP5-A. Wayne, PA: National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards, 1999.Search in Google Scholar
© Walter de Gruyter
Articles in the same Issue
- Rapid detection of the factor XIII Val34Leu (163 G→T) polymorphism by real-time PCR using fluorescence resonance energy transfer detection and melting curve analysis
- Changes of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in the serum of patients with autoimmune diseases: association with age and disease activity
- A recombinant cell bioassay for measurement of overall estrogenic activity of serum: preliminary results in women with breast cancer
- N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide as a biochemical marker of long-term interventional success after radiofrequency catheter ablation of paroxysmal supraventricular tachyarrhythmias
- Preventing in vitro lipoperoxidation in the malondialdehyde-thiobarbituric assay
- Oxidative stress: potential of distinct peroxide determination systems
- Quality assessment in cytogenetic and molecular genetic testing: the experience of the Italian Project on Standardisation and Quality Assurance
- Guidelines for blood smear preparation and staining procedure for setting up an external quality assessment scheme for blood smear interpretation. Part I: control material
- Measurement of serum and plasma osmolality in healthy young humans – influence of time and storage conditions
- High in-hospital mortality of intensive care patients with nucleated red blood cells in blood
- Frequency of –163 C > A and 63 C > G single nucleotide polymorphism of cytochrome P450 1A2 in two African populations
- Long-term stability of endogenous B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and amino terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) in frozen plasma samples
- Plasma or serum samples: measurements of cardiac troponin T and of other analytes compared
- Antioxidant capacity of the human pericardial fluid: does gender have a role?
- Comparison of serum digoxin concentration monitoring by fluorescence polarization immunoassay on the TDxFLx® and dry chemistry enzyme immunoassay on the Vitros 950
- Multicenter analytical performance evaluation of the Elecsys® proBNP assay
- Analytical evaluation and reference values of serum amyloid-A on the BN ProSpec
- Reference values of soluble interleukin-2 receptor on the IMMULITE
- Analysis of cystatin C, creatinine, albumin, lipids and lipoprotein concentrations in serum and acidified citrate plasma (Stabilyte™) tubes compared
- Analysis of γ-globulins consisting of hepatitis C-associated cryoglobulins in the blood
- Serum total glutathione-S-transferase in stroke, a preliminary report
- Santorini Biologie Prospective Conference 2004 “From Human Genetic Variations to Prediction of Risks and Responses to the Environment”, Santorini, Greece, September 30–October 4, 2004
Articles in the same Issue
- Rapid detection of the factor XIII Val34Leu (163 G→T) polymorphism by real-time PCR using fluorescence resonance energy transfer detection and melting curve analysis
- Changes of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in the serum of patients with autoimmune diseases: association with age and disease activity
- A recombinant cell bioassay for measurement of overall estrogenic activity of serum: preliminary results in women with breast cancer
- N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide as a biochemical marker of long-term interventional success after radiofrequency catheter ablation of paroxysmal supraventricular tachyarrhythmias
- Preventing in vitro lipoperoxidation in the malondialdehyde-thiobarbituric assay
- Oxidative stress: potential of distinct peroxide determination systems
- Quality assessment in cytogenetic and molecular genetic testing: the experience of the Italian Project on Standardisation and Quality Assurance
- Guidelines for blood smear preparation and staining procedure for setting up an external quality assessment scheme for blood smear interpretation. Part I: control material
- Measurement of serum and plasma osmolality in healthy young humans – influence of time and storage conditions
- High in-hospital mortality of intensive care patients with nucleated red blood cells in blood
- Frequency of –163 C > A and 63 C > G single nucleotide polymorphism of cytochrome P450 1A2 in two African populations
- Long-term stability of endogenous B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and amino terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) in frozen plasma samples
- Plasma or serum samples: measurements of cardiac troponin T and of other analytes compared
- Antioxidant capacity of the human pericardial fluid: does gender have a role?
- Comparison of serum digoxin concentration monitoring by fluorescence polarization immunoassay on the TDxFLx® and dry chemistry enzyme immunoassay on the Vitros 950
- Multicenter analytical performance evaluation of the Elecsys® proBNP assay
- Analytical evaluation and reference values of serum amyloid-A on the BN ProSpec
- Reference values of soluble interleukin-2 receptor on the IMMULITE
- Analysis of cystatin C, creatinine, albumin, lipids and lipoprotein concentrations in serum and acidified citrate plasma (Stabilyte™) tubes compared
- Analysis of γ-globulins consisting of hepatitis C-associated cryoglobulins in the blood
- Serum total glutathione-S-transferase in stroke, a preliminary report
- Santorini Biologie Prospective Conference 2004 “From Human Genetic Variations to Prediction of Risks and Responses to the Environment”, Santorini, Greece, September 30–October 4, 2004
