title: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide as a marker of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants.
abstract: We performed an observational pilot study of plasma concentrations of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in premature infants with a diagnosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) at 4 weeks of age and after 1 month of conventional therapy. Thirty-four premature infants born before 34 weeks' gestational age without cardiac or infectious diseases were included. Serum NT-pro-BNP was measured in all neonates at 4 weeks of age. In infants with the diagnosis of BPD (n = 11), measurements were repeated at 6 and 8 weeks of age under conventional treatment. Specific clinical characteristics were collected prospectively. Baseline NT-pro-BNP concentrations were high in healthy premature infants compared with previously reported healthy neonates, and significantly higher in those who developed BPD. There was a significant correlation between concentrations of NT-pro-BNP and severity of respiratory distress as assessed by several methods. The concentrations of NT-pro-BNP decreased significantly over time in BPD infants. Premature infants have high concentrations of NT-pro-BNP at 1 month of age. NT-pro-BNP concentrations are significantly higher in BPD infants and decline over time. NT-pro-BNP concentrations correlate with clinical severity of respiratory disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: Amiram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nir
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hammerman
authors.forename: Shmuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: Efrat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ben Shalom
authors.forename: Elie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Picard
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain