NT-proANP AND NT-proBNP FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF STROKE

Abstract

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.

1 . 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, comprising:
 a) contacting a blood, serum or plasma sample from the subject with an antibody specific for NT-proANP, said antibody being bound to a detectable label; and   b) determining the amount of NT-proANP in the sample,   wherein the subject has shown symptoms of TIA within 72 hours before the sample has been obtained, and wherein the subject does not show symptoms of TIA anymore at the time at which the sample is obtained.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 c) comparing the determined amount of NT-proANP to a reference amount; and   d) diagnosing whether said subject has exhibited a transitory ischemic attack.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein it is diagnosed whether the subject has exhibited a TIA within 24 hours before the sample has been obtained. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sample has been obtained from the subject later than one hour after the end of symptoms of TIA. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the reference amount is derived from a sample from a subject known to have exhibited a TIA, and wherein an amount of NT-proANP in the sample from the test subject which is essentially identical to the reference amount or which is larger than the reference amount indicates that the subject has exhibited a transitory ischemic attack, and/or
 wherein the reference amount is derived from a sample from a subject known not to have exhibited a TIA, and wherein an amount of NT-proANP in the sample from the test subject which is essentially identical to the reference amount or which is lower than the reference amount indicates that the subject has not exhibited a transitory ischemic attack.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the reference amount is a calculated reference amount, and wherein an amount of NT-proANP in the sample from the test subject which is larger than the calculated reference amount indicates that the subject has exhibited a transitory ischemic attack, and wherein an amount of NT-proANP in the sample from which is lower than the calculated reference amount indicates that the subject has not exhibited a transitory ischemic attack. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject does not suffer from heart failure and/or from coronary artery disease. 
     
     
         8 . A method for diagnosing an acute cerebral ischemic event in a subject who is suspected to suffer from an acute cerebral ischemic event, comprising:
 determining the amount of NT-proANP in a sample from said subject;   determining the amount of NT-proBNP in a sample from said subject; and   calculating a ratio of the amounts of NT-proANP and NT-proBNP.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising comparing the calculated ratio to a reference ratio, thereby diagnosing the acute cerebral ischemic event. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the subject suffers from heart failure and/or from coronary artery disease. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the reference ratio is derived from a sample from a subject known to have exhibited an acute cerebral ischemic event, and wherein a ratio of NT-proANP to NT-proBNP in the sample from the test subject which is essentially identical to the reference ratio or which is larger than the reference ratio indicates that the subject has exhibited an acute cerebral ischemic event, and/or
 wherein the reference ratio is derived from a sample from a subject known not to have exhibited an acute cerebral ischemic event, and wherein a ratio of NT-proANP to NTproBNP in the sample from the test subject which is essentially identical to the reference ratio or which is lower than the reference ratio indicates that the subject has not exhibited an acute cerebral ischemic event.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the subject who is suspected to have exhibited an acute cerebral event has shown symptoms of an acute cerebral event within 72 hours before the sample has been obtained. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the subject who is suspected to have exhibited an acute cerebral event has shown symptoms of an acute cerebral event within 24 hours before the sample has been obtained. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the sample has been obtained later than 1 one hour after the onset of symptoms of the acute cerebral event. 
     
     
         15 . A composition comprising:
 i) a detection agent which specifically binds to the NT-proANP polypeptide and a detection agent which specifically binds to the NT-proBNP polypeptide; and   iii) a blood, serum or plasma sample from a subject who is suspected to have exhibited an acute cerebral ischemic event.