BNP levels in patients with long-term exposure to biomass fuel and its relation to right ventricular function.
Previous studies have demonstrated a consistent increased risk for cardiovascular events and pulmonary disease in patients with biomass fuel exposure (BFE). However right ventricular (RV) function have not been investigated yet in these patients. In this study, pulmonary function, right ventricular function and their relations with Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) were investigated in non-smoking female patients with BFE.


METHODS
Our study population consisted of 39 female patients with BFE (group 1) and, 31 control subjects (group 2). Pulmonary function tests and transthoracic echocardiographic examination were performed. Right ventricular volumes, diameters and tissue velocities were obtained by tissue Doppler echocardiography. BNP levels were measured and correlated to right ventricular measurements and pulmonary artery pressure.


RESULTS
In BFE group, obstructive and restrictive spirometric findings were found. RV diameters, volumes and pulmonary artery pressure were higher in group 1 than group 2. BNP levels were well correlated with right ventricular end diastolic diameter and pulmonary artery pressure. A suspicion is also arised that toxic chemicals in biomass fuel may play a role in RV dysfunction.


CONCLUSIONS
Biomass fuel exposure not only cause obstructive and/or restrictive lung disease but also leads to systolic and diastolic right ventricular dysfunction. BNP levels may be used to monitor pulmonary artery pressure and right ventricular enlargement in these patients.
Emiroglu
Yunus
Y
Department of Cardiology, Kartal Kosuyolu Yuksek Ihtisas Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Kargin
Ramazan
R
Kargin
Feyza
F
Akcakoyun
Mustafa
M
Pala
Selcuk
S
Mutlu
Halil
H
Akcay
Murat
M
Aung
Soe Moe
SM
Baran
Reha
R
Ozdemir
Nihal
N
D000368:Aged; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018533:Biomass; D003296:Cooking; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006361:Heating; D006801:Humans; D008372:Manure; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012906:Smoke / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014934:Wood
D015415:Biomarkers; D008372:Manure; D012906:Smoke; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain