title: [Levels of serum brain natriuretic peptide and the correlation to heart function in children with Kawasaki disease].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study serum levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) and the correlation between BNP levels and the heart function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three children with KD and thirty healthy children were enrolled. Serum levels of BNP were measured using ELISA. KD children received an echocardiographic examination, including measurements of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular shorten fraction (LVSF), cardiac index (CI) and left ventricular inflow velocity through the mitral annulus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean serum level of BNP at the acute stage in children with KD was significantly higher than that at the recovery stage as well as the control group (p<0.01). The LVEF, LVSF and CI levels at the acute stage were significantly lower than those at the recovery stage in children with KD (p<0.05). The linear regression analysis showed that the BNP level was negatively correlated with the levels of LVEF, LVSF and CI (r=-0.63, -0.52, -0.53, p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The serum BNP levels increase significantly in KD children at the acute stage, and are negatively correlated with the levels of LVEF, LVSF and CI. Measurement of serum BNP level is useful for the early diagnosis of KD.
authors.affiliation: Qingdao Children's Hospital, Qingdao, Shangdong 266011, China. sunyuping999@163.com
authors.forename: Yu-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Wen-Di
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xing-Chang
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jin-Ju
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shao-Chun
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Ying-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain