NPPB and hydrops fetalis: Circulating endothelial cells in the peripheral blood as well as E-selectin, von Willebrand factor and soluble thrombomodulin were shown to be significantly higher in patients with HF although they did not present significant differences between AHF and chronic HF and did not correlate with P-BNP (Chong et al., 2006a), ejection fraction or New York Heart Association (NYHA) class (Chong et al., 2006b).