What is the evidence of the diagnostic accuracy of BNP or NT- proBNP to identify the presence of heart failure in people with chronic kidney disease and suspected heart failure in a community or outpatient setting?
A search was conducted for single gate studies assessing the diagnostic test accuracy of BNP or NT- proBNP to identify the presence of heart failure (as indicated by the reference standard) in people with chronic kidney disease and suspected heart failure in a community or outpatient setting. One diagnostic accuracy study was included in the review319, 375 ; it is summarised in Table 24 below. The index test was BNP. The study was downgraded for serious indirectness as the reference standard did not fully match the protocol, but was included in the review in the absence of any direct evidence. Evidence from this study is summarised in the clinical evidence summary in Table 25 below. No diagnostic RCTs meeting the protocol were identified. See also the study selection flow chart in Appendix C, sensitivity/specificity forest plots in Appendix E, study evidence tables in Appendix F and excluded studies list in Appendix I.