Elevated plasma brain natriuretic peptide levels in chronic respiratory failure with cor pulmonale

• Published in: Respiratory medicine 1999-07, Vol.93 (7), p.507-514
• Main Authors: Bando, M., Ishii, Y., Sugiyama, Y., Kitamura, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Atrial Natriuretic Factor - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Humans; Immunoradiometric Assay - methods; Lung Diseases, Obstructive - blood; Lung Diseases, Obstructive - complications; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain - blood; Pneumology; Pulmonary Heart Disease - blood; Pulmonary Heart Disease - complications; Respiratory Insufficiency - blood; Respiratory Insufficiency - complications; Respiratory system : syndromes and miscellaneous diseases
• ISSN: 0954-6111; 1532-3064
• DOI: 10.1016/S0954-6111(99)90094-X

Elevated plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels have been described in patients with congestive heart failure and acute myocardial infarction. We measured plasma BNP levels in patients with chronic respiratory failure to evaluate the correlation between plasma BNP levels and pulmonary haemodynamics. Plasma BNP levels were measured in 28 patients with chronic respiratory failure accompanied by three underlying diseases [14 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), seven with sequelae of pulmonary tuberculosis (sequelae Tbc) and seven with diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB)] by immunoradiometric assay methods (IRMA). Twenty-one of 28 patients had already received oxygen supplementation and 16 of 21 patients were treated as outpatients with home oxygen therapy. Plasma BNP levels were significantly elevated in patients with chronic respiratory failure complicated by cor pulmonale (81·5 ± 13·1 pg ml −1) compared to patients without cor pulmonale (13·3 ± 2·7 pg ml −1, P