Given a passage with a context and an answer, construct a question on the basis of the information present in the passage. Construct the question in such a way that (i) it is unambiguous, (ii) it is answerable from the passage, (iii) its answer is unique (iv) it answer uses text phrases from the passage. Avoid creating questions that (i) can't be answered correctly without actually understanding the passage and (ii) uses the same words or phrases given in the passage.

Context: Natriuretic peptide (NP) levels are routinely employed as useful diagnostic and prognostic tools in the evaluation of patients with heart failure (HF). As hospitalization is the major consumer of healthcare resources, the prognostic power of admission NPs with regard to the duration of hospitalization deserves further investigation.', 'We assessed retrospectively the association between NP values sampled shortly following unplanned admission and the duration of hospitalization in 2978 patients admitted to a cardiology department. Duration of hospitalization (hours) and survival were determined by interrogation of the electronic medical records system. Associations with peptide levels were estimated using regression models and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The results demonstrate a significant positive relationship between NP levels and the duration of hospitalization, after adjusting for age (P < 0.001). The median duration of hospitalization for the lowest BNP and NT-proBNP quintiles were 80 and 97 h, respectively, vs. 224.5 and 236 h for the highest quintiles. Using cut-off levels of 115 pmol/L for BNP and 390 pmol/L for NT-proBNP, the peptides have a positive predictive value of 78% and 85% for a stay >4 days. During follow-up, NP levels were strongly predictive of all-cause mortality.
Answer: The results quantify the strong relationship between NP levels taken following an unplanned admission to a cardiology department and the duration of hospitalization. This information permits improved identification of a patient population likely to require a prolonged hospital stay and consume more healthcare resources. Such patients may require a more aggressive diagnostic, treatment, and management strategy.
Do natriuretic peptide levels taken following unplanned admission to a cardiology department predict the duration of hospitalization?

Context: Inflammatory risk factors in childhood, e.g. obesity, impact on carotid artery intima media thickness (CIMT), an early indicator of atherosclerosis. Little is known on potential infectious origins in childhood. We investigated the association between number of reported different childhood infectious diseases and CIMT in adolescence.', "288 SAPALDIA offspring (8-21years) underwent a clinical examination in 2010-2011: anthropometry, blood pressure, CIMT, blood draw (cardiovascular biomarkers, cotinine). Offspring and parents gave information on individuals' and family health, child's vaccination status, infectious diseases and other early life factors. Life-time prevalence of bronchitis, pneumonia, tonsillitis, otitis, mononucleosis, meningitis, appendicitis, and scarlet fever were investigated, separately, and as cumulative infectious disease score. Multilevel adjusted linear regression analysis on the association between subjects' CIMT average and infectious diseases score was performed, stratifying by sex.", 'Youth (mean age 14.8\xa0yrs; 53% female) reported on average 1.3 of the listed infectious diseases; 22% boys and 15% girls reported ≥3 infectious diseases (p\xa0=\xa00.136). Two-thirds were vaccinated according to recommendations (boys 56%, girls 61.5%, p\xa0=\xa00.567). Sex-stratified analyses yielded significantly increased CIMT in boys with ≥3 infectious diseases vs. none (0.046\xa0mm, 95%CI 0.024; 0.068). In girls, the effect was of same direction but statistically non-significant (0.011\xa0mm, 95%CI\xa0-0.015; 0.036).
Answer: The SAPALDIA Youth study complements current evidence on infectious origins of atherosclerosis in adults. The larger effects observed in boys may relate to a higher vulnerability of the vasculature and/or to infectious pathogens. Our data are suggestive of an early impact of childhood infectious diseases on vascular health.
Are infectious diseases associated with carotid intima media thickness in adolescence?

Context: To determine the cellular mediators of antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) and the relative contribution of members of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) family and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in AIA.', 'AIA was induced in mice deficient in T and B lymphocytes, IL-6 (IL-6(-/-)), TNF (TNF(-/-)), IL-11 receptor, and oncostatin M receptor, by immunization with methylated bovine serum albumin (mBSA) followed 7 days later by intraarticular injection of mBSA. Arthritis severity was assessed histologically, and T lymphocyte responses were assessed in vitro. Anti-TNF neutralizing antibody was administered to wild-type mice during AIA. Bone marrow osteoclasts were generated in vitro via culture with RANKL and macrophage colony-stimulating factor.', 'AIA was dependent on CD4+ T lymphocytes, but not CD8+ T lymphocytes or B cells. IL-6(-/-) mice had reduced AIA severity and fewer osteoclasts at sites of bone erosion. This protective effect was not seen with a deficiency of other IL-6 family members and was similar to that in TNF(-/-) mice or wild-type mice receiving TNF blockade treatment. IL-6(-/-) CD4+ T lymphocytes from draining lymph nodes had reduced antigen-induced proliferation and produced less IL-17 and less RANKL, relative to osteoprotegerin, than cells from wild-type mice. Bone marrow from IL-6(-/-) mice generated fewer osteoclasts in vitro than bone marrow from either wild-type or TNF(-/-) mice.
Answer: AIA is driven by CD4+ T lymphocytes. IL-6 is an important mediator of bone destruction in AIA because it regulates T lymphocyte production of key osteoclastogenic cytokines and inflammation-induced bone marrow osteoclast differentiation. These findings have implications for reducing bone and joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis.

Does interleukin-6 modulate production of T lymphocyte-derived cytokines in antigen-induced arthritis and drives inflammation-induced osteoclastogenesis?