Plasma B-type natriuretic peptide levels in children with heart disease.

Abstract

AIM:

To determine plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in children with heart diseases before medical or surgical treatment for monitoring therapeutic efficacy in an observational prospective clinical trial at tertiary care centre.

METHODS:

In 522 paediatric patients at an age of 6.4 ± 5.2 years (mean ± SD; range: 14 days-18 years) with congenital heart disease (CHD), cardiomyopathies (CMP) or pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), plasma BNP levels were evaluated before and under treatment.

RESULTS:

Most types of heart disease are associated with increased mean plasma BNP levels before treatment, with highest values in children with CMP (BNP 6165 pg/mL in dilated CMP vs. 817 pg/mL in hypertrophic, vs. 1236 pg/mL in restrictive CMP, each p < 0.05). Children with PAH showed a significant decrease in BNP levels under medical treatment (mean BNP 981 pg/mL before vs. 26 pg/mL under treatment, p < 0.05). Children with univentricular CHD undergoing surgical staged palliation showed a significant decrease in BNP levels after bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis (BDCP) (BNP 109 pg/mL before vs. 70 pg/mL after BDCP, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

Plasma BNP levels are elevated in children with heart disease before treatment and are a useful laboratory parameter under treatment during long-term follow-up.

• Authors: Walter Knirsch, Eliane Häusermann, Margrit Fasnacht, Martin Hersberger, Peter Gessler, Urs Bauersfeld
• Journal: Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992) (Acta Paediatr) Vol. 100 Issue 9 Pg. 1213-6 (Sep 2011) ISSN: 1651-2227 [Electronic] Norway
• PMID: 21388448 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2011 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica © 2011 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

Chemical References

• Natriuretic Peptide, Brain

Topics

• Adolescent
• Cardiomyopathies (blood)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Heart Defects, Congenital (blood)
• Heart Ventricles
• Hemodynamics
• Humans
• Hypertension, Pulmonary (blood)
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Male
• Natriuretic Peptide, Brain (blood)
• Prospective Studies
• Statistics as Topic
• Statistics, Nonparametric