title: B-type natriuretic peptide in patients with systemic right ventricle.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the diagnostic value of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in patients with systemic right ventricle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma BNP levels were measured in 48 outpatients with D-transposition of the great arteries after atrial switch procedure or congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma BNP was < or =20 pg/ml in 52% and <200 pg/ml in all patients, significantly higher in females compared to males (p = 0.004), and positively correlated with age (r = 0.3, p = 0.04). New York Heart Association class I patients had significantly lower BNP than class II patients (p = 0.03). A positive correlation was found between BNP and severity of tricuspid regurgitation (r = 0.5, p < 0.001). Plasma BNP was weakly, negatively correlated to maximum exercise capability, peak oxygen uptake, maximum heart rate during exercise testing and minimal heart rate in the 24-hour Holter monitoring. Additionally, BNP was negatively correlated with flow velocity across the pulmonary valve in patients with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (r = -0.81, p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma BNP is normal in patients with systemic right ventricle, but increases with deterioration of clinical status and decreasing exercise capability. BNP is positively correlated with severity of tricuspid regurgitation, a prognostic factor for survival.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Cardiology, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nurnberg, Erlangen, Germany. Andreas.Koch@kinder.imed.uni-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Andreas M E
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zink
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Singer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015996:Survival Rate; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000097:blood* / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain