There were no significant differences between the malnourished patients and those with normal nutritional status as to hsCRP and natriuretic peptides, neither BNP nor NT-proBNP; however, both the malnourished patients and those at risk of malnutrition tend to show higher concentrations of these particles, which requires verification in a larger group of patients. The gene discussed is NPPB; the disease is malnutrition.