RT Journal
A1 Krum H, Porapakkham P
T1 THe challenges of properly identifying the cause of heart failure hospitalization—reply
JF Archives of Internal Medicine
JO Archives of Internal Medicine
YR 2010
FD July 26
VO 170
IS 14
SP 1274
OP 1275
DO 10.1001/archinternmed.2010.232
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2010.232
AB 
We very much agree with the comments regarding variability in laboratory testing for BNP and NT-pro-BNP. As pointed out, this variability is an important factor in considering the use of sequential levels of this peptide to guide the treatment of the individual patient with heart failure. However, this was not the purpose of our analysis. Our analysis was to pool the individual studies that addressed BNP-guided therapy (with all of its attendant caveats including biological variability and laboratory error) and ascertain the robustness of its utility in reducing subsequent major events.