Plasma levels of N terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide as a prognostic value in primary graft dysfunction and a predictor of mortality in the immediate postoperative period of lung transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a form of acute lung injury secondary to lung transplantation (LT). The objective of our study was to analyse N terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) as a prognostic marker of morbidity and mortality and its possible relationship with the development of PGD.


METHODS
This prospective study of 50 consecutive lung transplantation patients used blood samples obtained at baseline, 24, 48, and 72 hours after admission. We analyzed the amino terminal fraction of the BNP prohormone (NT-pro-BNP). The development of PGD was defined following the criteria of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT).


RESULTS
In this study 72% of patients developed PGD at T24, 42% of whom had severe grade III. There was no relationship between the development of PGD at any grade and NT-pro-BNP levels. Elevated levels of NT-pro-BNP were accompanied by greater postoperative mortality (P < .05).
Leon
I
I
Department of Anesthesiology, Hospital Universitario La Fe, Valencia, Spain. irene.leon@ono.com
Vicente
R
R
Moreno
I
I
Ramos
F
F
Solé
A
A
Morales
P
P
Vicente
J L
JL
Barberá
M
M
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015996:Survival Rate
D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain