Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) remains stable in blood samples at room temperature much longer than ANP, making it a practical biomarker for heart failure assessment in clinical settings.
Prolonged room temperature stabilityBNP maintained accurate levels in blood samples at room temperature, enabling practical clinical use
What the researchers found
BNP showed prolonged stability at room temperature in blood samples, significantly outlasting ANP stability, making BNP the preferred clinical biomarker for cardiac function assessment.
Why it matters
For a biomarker to be useful in everyday clinical practice, it needs to survive real-world sample handling. BNP's stability at room temperature removed a major obstacle to its adoption as a routine heart failure test, which has since become standard practice worldwide.
How the study worked
Blood samples from heart failure patients collected and stored at room temperature, with BNP and ANP levels measured at serial time points to assess degradation rates.
What this study cannot tell us
Specific to blood sample handling conditions tested. Other pre-analytical variables (freezing, anticoagulant type) may also affect results. Study focused on stability, not diagnostic accuracy.
How to read the evidence
Clinical laboratory study with direct practical implications. Methodologically straightforward and clinically impactful. Published in Clinical Science.
When this study was published
Published in 1998, this study helped pave the way for BNP's adoption as a standard heart failure biomarker that is now used in hospitals worldwide.
The bigger picture
This seemingly simple stability study had enormous practical impact. BNP testing has become one of the most widely used cardiac biomarkers globally, and its sample stability was a key factor enabling its widespread clinical adoption. Today, BNP and NT-proBNP are standard tests in emergency departments and cardiology clinics worldwide.
Questions still open
- What is the maximum acceptable delay between blood draw and BNP measurement?
- Does sample type (serum vs. plasma) affect BNP stability differently?
- How does NT-proBNP stability compare to BNP?
Common questions
What is BNP and why is it measured?
Why does sample stability matter for a blood test?
Read the original research
Prolonged stability of brain natriuretic peptide: importance for non-invasive assessment of cardiac function in clinical practice.
Clinical science (London, England : 1979), 95(3), 235-9
Citation
Buckley, M G; Marcus, N J; Yacoub, M H; Singer, D R. (1998). Prolonged stability of brain natriuretic peptide: importance for non-invasive assessment of cardiac function in clinical practice.. Clinical science (London, England : 1979), 95(3), 235-9.