Amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a biomarker of cardiac filling pressures in pre-eclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate if amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) plasma levels reflect intracardiac filling pressures in pre-eclamptic patients.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional study we investigated 22 untreated critically ill pre-eclamptic women between 22 and 34 weeks gestation. All patients underwent intra-arterial blood pressure and central hemodynamic measurements and NT-proBNP was determined in stored plasma. Baseline characteristics, plasma NT-proBNP concentrations and relevant laboratory variables were investigated for correlations with hemodynamic values using Spearman's rank correlation test.


RESULTS
No significant correlations were demonstrated between NT-proBNP concentrations and variables associated with the severity of the pre-eclampsia. We found significant positive correlations between NT-proBNP and diastolic pulmonary pressure (r = 0.59; p = 0.005) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) (r = 0.51; p = 0.015). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the association between NT-proBNP and PCWP was not affected by creatinine level.


CONCLUSIONS
NT-proBNP is a biomarker of left ventricular cardiac filling pressures in untreated pre-eclamptic patients.
Speksnijder
Leonie
L
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Rutten
Joost H W
JH
van den Meiracker
Anton H
AH
de Bruin
René J A
RJ
Lindemans
Jan
J
Hop
Wim C J
WC
Visser
Willy
W
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003971:Diastole; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain