The present description relates to a method for identifying a patient who is eligible for an intensification of heart failure therapy. Furthermore, the description relates to a method for pikej3optimizing B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and/or N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)-type peptide guided heart failure therapy. The methods are based on the measurement of the level of at least one marker in a sample from a patient who has heart failure and who receives B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and/or N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)-type peptide guided heart failure therapy. Further described are kits and devices adapted to carry out the described method.

The current methods and compositions relate to treatment of atrial fibrillation with bucindolol in patients, including patientswith heart failure, after being determined to be homozygous Arg389 in the .sub.1 adrenergic receptor gene.

Provided is a method for prognosing ACS in a subject, the method comprising determining plasma MIF and Nt-ProBNP (or BNP) concentrations in a sample from the subject, diagnosing ACS when the subject plasma concentrations are greater than a reference MIF and Nt-proBNP (or BNP) plasma concentration, and prognosing the magnitude of ACS from the subject plasma MIF and Nt-proBNP (or BNP) concentrations. Also provided are a device, a kit and a cardiac biomarker panel related to the methods of prognosing ACS.

The invention relates to a method for prognosing ACS in a subject, the method comprising determining plasma MIF and Nt-proBNP (or BNP) concentrations in a sample from the subject, diagnosing ACS when the subject plasma concentrations are greater than a reference MIF and Nt-proBNP (or BNP) plasma concentration, and prognosing the magnitude of ACS from the subject plasma MIF and Nt-proBNP (or BNP) concentrations. Also provided is a method of treating ACS in a subject, a device, a kit, and a cardiac biomarker related to the methods of prognosing ACS.

The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing a transitory ischemic attack (TIA) in a subject who is suspected to have exhibited a transitory ischemic attack, but who did not exhibit a stroke. The method is based on the determination of the amount of NT-proANP in a sample from said subject. Moreover, the present invention is directed to a method for diagnosing an acute cerebral ischemic event in a subject based on the determination of the amounts of NT-proBNP and NT-proANP in a sample from a subject. The method further comprises the step of calculating a ratio of the amounts of NT-proBNP and NT-proANP. Further envisaged by the present invention are kits and devices adapted to carry out the method of the present invention.

The present description relates to a method for identifying a patient who is eligible for an intensification of heart failure therapy. Furthermore, the description relates to a method for optimizing B type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and/or N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)-type peptide guided heart failure therapy. The methods are based on the measurement of the level of at least one marker in a sample from a patient who has heart failure and who receives B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and/or N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)-type peptide guided heart failure therapy. Further described are kits and devices adapted to carry out the described method.

The present invention relates to a method for prediction of response to cardiovascular regeneration comprising the use of biomarkers. Further, the present invention relates to a combination of the biomarkers for use in a method for prediction of response to cardiovascular regeneration, a computer device to perform a method according to the present invention and a device adapted for carrying out the inventive method.

Disclosed is a composition that synergistically prevents proteolysis or modification of peptides in sampled biological fluids using sulfonyl fluoride family protease inhibitors at high concentrations combined with at least one additional protease inhibitor of a different type, preferably a broad spectrum protease inhibitor, and a chelator. A preferred embodiment uses AEBSF at 10 mM, Benzamidine at 20 mM and EDTA as the chelator. The disclosed composition may be combined with other protease inhibitors to further modulate its specificity, for instance to additionally target acidic proteases. Additional protease inhibitors, reducing agents, stabilizers and buffering agents may be combined with the disclosed compositions in devices for sampling or testing biological fluids for levels of peptides of interest, or methods therefore. The disclosed devices, compositions and methods are of particular use in sampling and testing for the level of natriuretic peptides.

Disclosed is a composition that synergistically prevents proteolysis or modification of peptides in sampled biological fluids using sulfonyl fluoride family protease inhibitors at high concentrations combined with at least one additional protease inhibitor of a different type, preferably a broad spectrum protease inhibitor, and a chelator. A preferred embodiment uses AEBSF at 10 mM, Benzamidine at 20 mM and EDTA as the chelator. The disclosed composition may be combined with other protease inhibitors to further modulate its specificity, for instance to additionally target acidic proteases. Additional protease inhibitors, reducing agents, stabilizers and buffering agents may be combined with the disclosed compositions in devices for sampling or testing biological fluids for levels of peptides of interest, or methods therefore. The disclosed devices, compositions and methods are of particular use in sampling and testing for the level of natriuretic peptides.

Disclosed is a method for diagnosing paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in a subject, involving: determining the amount of FABP-3 (Fatty acid binding protein 3) in a sample from a subject suspected to suffer from paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and comparing the determined amount to a reference amount. The method may further involve the determination of a BNP-type peptide. Also disclosed is a device adapted to carry out the method.