title: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide as a marker of disease severity in patients with pericardial effusions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has recently been introduced as a useful marker in diagnosing underlying disease in patients with dyspnea and for determining the prognosis of patients with heart failure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of the NT-proBNP as a marker of disease severity in patients with pericardial effusions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 69 consecutive patients who showed moderate or large pericardial effusion with preserved left ventricular (LV) systolic function; 42 patients finally participated in the study, and 13 (31.0%) of them showed cardiac tamponade. We analyzed the etiologies, the clinical and echocardiographic variables, and the serum NT-proBNP levels in these patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean NT-proBNP level was 751+/- 1002 ng/L (range 5 to 5289), and the median level was 385 ng/L (interquartile range 152 to 844). The NT-proBNP levels were higher in those patients with jugular venous distension (p=0.002), pulsus paradoxus (p=0.016), heart rate > or = 100/min (p=0.006), cardiac tamponade (p=0.001), large pericardial effusion (p=0.029), exaggerated respiratory variation of the transmitral inflow (p=0.006), or plethora of the inferior vena cava (p=0.01). The NT-proBNP levels showed significant correlation with heart rate (r=0.517, p<0.001) and the diameter of the inferior vena cava (r=0.329, p=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NT-proBNP may be useful as a marker of disease severity in patients suffering from pericardial effusion, but further prospective studies with more patients will be needed.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Center, Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Dong-gu, Ulsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Shin-Jae
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun-Seok
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Sang-Gon
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D003971:Diastole; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013599:Systole; D014463:Ultrasonography; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain