title: Preoperative, postoperative and 1-year follow-up N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels in severe chronic aortic regurgitation: correlations with echocardiographic findings.
abstract: B-type natriuretic peptide is synthesized in response to increased ventricular wall stress (WS) and hypertrophy. To serially evaluate amino-terminal-pro-BNP (NT-pBNP) serum levels in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) for severe chronic aortic regurgitation (AR), blood samples were drawn preoperatively, 15 days postoperatively, at 6- and 12-month follow-up in 25 consecutive patients. Two-dimensional echocardiography was performed concomitantly, assessing left ventricular (LV) dimensional and functional parameters, including WS. Correlations between NT-pBNP, clinical and echocardiographic data were assessed by non-parametric statistics. Median preoperative NT-pro-BNP was 276 pg/ml (IQR=85-1056), being normal or mildly increased in 20 patients, overly increased in five. The most significant correlations of preoperative NT-pBNP were with diastolic (r=0.80, P<0.001) and systolic (r=0.75, P<0.001) meridional WS and inversely with time from symptom onset (r=-0.67, P=0.001). NT-pBNP increased 15 days postoperatively (568 pg/ml, P=0.006 vs. preoperative), then decreased at 6 months (144 pg/ml, P<0.001) to remain stable at 1 year (108 pg/ml, P=0.16). Long-term follow-up NT-pBNP showed direct correlation with diastolic WS (r=0.56, P=0.02). Higher preoperative levels of NT-pBNP predicted greater magnitude of total LV mass regression at follow-up (r=-0.65, P=0.002) independent of preoperative LV mass index, showing that NT-pBNP may have a potential prognostic usefulness in adjunct to echocardiography.
authors: Department of Cardiothoracic and Respiratory Sciences, Second University of Naples, V Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy. aledellacorte@libero.it
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Della Corte
authors: Gemma
authors: G
authors: Salerno
authors: Emilio
authors: E
authors: Chiosi
authors: Diana
authors: D
authors: Iarussi
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Santarpino
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Miraglia
authors: Silvio
authors: S
authors: Naviglio
authors: Marisa
authors: M
authors: De Feo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain