Brain natriuretic peptide predicts right heart failure in patients with acute pulmonary embolism

• Published in: The American heart journal 2004-01, Vol.147 (1), p.60-65
• Main Authors: Krüger, Stefan, Graf, Jürgen, Merx, Marc W, Koch, Karl Christian, Kunz, Dagmar, Hanrath, Peter, Janssens, Uwe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Cardiac Output, Low - blood; Cardiac Output, Low - etiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular disease; Drug therapy; Embolisms; Female; Heart; Heart attacks; Heart failure; Heart failure, cardiogenic pulmonary edema, cardiac enlargement; Humans; Intensive care; Male; Medical imaging; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mortality; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain - blood; Pain; Peptides; Prospective Studies; Pulmonary Embolism - blood; Pulmonary Embolism - complications; ROC Curve; Software; Thrombosis; Tomography; Ventilation; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right - blood; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right - etiology
• ISSN: 0002-8703; 1097-6744
• DOI: 10.1016/S0002-8703(03)00528-3

Plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) are increased in patients with left heart failure. In patients with severe pulmonary embolism (PE), primary right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is frequent. Little is known about BNP secretion in acute RV failure. We prospectively studied 50 consecutive patients with confirmed PE (age range, 57 ± 19 years; 36 men). PE was confirmed with pulmonary angiography, spiral computed tomography, or echocardiography and subsidiary analyses. On admission, echocardiography and BNP measurements were performed in all patients. Patients without RV dysfunction had significantly lower BNP levels than patients with RV dysfunction (55 ± 69 pg/mL vs 340 ± 362 pg/mL, P