Cardiac Troponin and BNP Show Untapped Potential for Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in Pregnancy
This review examines whether high-sensitivity cardiac troponin and BNP/NT-proBNP assays can improve cardiovascular risk evaluation in pregnant women, a group largely overlooked in current guidelines. Evidence from studies of both normal and complicated pregnancies suggests these biomarkers could enable earlier detection of pregnancy-related cardiac complications. The authors advocate for standardized analytical approaches and clinical thresholds specific to pregnancy to close this diagnostic gap.
The original study
Cardiovascular risk evaluation in pregnancy: focus on cardiac specific biomarkers.
- Authors
- Aldo C, Martina Z, Alberto A, Mario P
- Journal
- Clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine
- Type
- Journal Article, Review
- PMID
- 37942796
Original abstract
Despite the evidence demonstrating the clinical utility of cardiac specific biomarkers in improving cardiovascular risk evaluation in several clinical conditions, even the most recent reviews and guidelines fail to consider their measurement in order to enhance the accuracy of the evaluation of cardiovascular risk in pregnant women. The aim of this review article was to examine whether the assay of cardiac specific biomarkers can enhance cardiovascular risk evaluation in pregnant women, first by reviewing the relationships between the physiological state of pregnancy and cardiac specific biomarkers. The clinical relevance of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)/NT-proBNP and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I/high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnI/hs-cTnT) assay in improving cardiovascular risk evaluation is examined based on the results of clinical studies on subjects with normal and those with complicated pregnancy. Finally, the analytical approaches and clinical objectives related to cardio specific biomarkers are advocated in order to allow an early and more accurate evaluation of cardiovascular risk in pregnant women.