Christina Andreae, PhD, RN Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden, and Centre for Clinical Research Sörmland, Uppsala University, Eskilstuna, Sweden.
Martje H.L. van der Wal, PhD, RN Senior Researcher, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden, and Heart Failure Nurse, Department of Cardiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Dirk J. van Veldhuisen, PhD, MD Professor, Department of Cardiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Bei Yang, Msc Statistician, Centre for Clinical Research Sörmland, Uppsala University, Eskilstuna, Sweden.
Anna Strömberg, PhD, RN Professor, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences and Department of Cardiology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Tiny Jaarsma, PhD, RN Professor, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden, and Professor, Julius Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose
The study was supported by grant 2000Z003 from the Netherlands Heart Foundation and by additional unrestricted grants from Biosite France SAS, Jouy-en-Josas, France (brain natriuretic peptide); Roche Diagnostics Nederland BV, Venlo, the Netherlands (N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide); and Novartis Pharma BV, Arnhem, the Netherlands.
Correspondence Christina Andreae, PhD, RN, Department of Medicine, Mälarhospital, Region Sörmland, 63188 Eskilstuna, Sweden ([email protected]).
