title: Amino-terminal fragment of pro-brain natriuretic hormone identifies functional impairment and right ventricular overload in operated tetralogy of Fallot patients.
abstract: To evaluate the relationship between plasma concentration of amino-terminal fragment of pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), functional capacity, and right ventricular overload in survivors of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) repair, we prospectively studied 70 operated TOF patients (44 males, 21 +/- 1 years old; mean +/- SEM) who underwent, during the same day, echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, neurohormonal characterization (plasma NT-proBNP, catecholamines, plasma renin activity, and aldosterone assay), and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Forty-eight age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers served as the control group. Compared to controls, maximal workload and peak oxygen consumption (VO2/kg) were lower in operated TOF patients (p < 0.001), whereas NT-proBNP concentration was elevated (p < 0.001). No difference was found among the other neurohormones. In operated TOF patients, NT-proBNP showed a significant positive correlation with right ventricular (RV) end systolic and end diastolic volumes and RV systolic pressure, and it showed a negative correlation with peak VO2/kg and RV ejection fraction. From multivariable analysis, NT-proBNP concentration was found to be an independent predictor of peak VO2/kg, RV end systolic volume, and RV systolic pressure. These results show an association among RV overload, decrease in functional capacity, and cardiac natriuretic peptide expression in operated TOF patients. NT-proBNP plasma assay may be a useful tool for diagnostic purposes and for decision making in this setting.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Department, G. Pasquinucci Hospital, Via Aurelia Sud, Loc. Montepepe, 54100 Massa, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Festa
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ait-Ali
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Prontera
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Marchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emdin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Passino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D013771:Tetralogy of Fallot / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain