title: Amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels in hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is synthesized in cardiac ventricles in response to volume expansion. This study evaluated NT-proBNP levels to determine the clinical correlation with the severity of hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  NT-proBNP levels of 95 pregnant women (severe preeclampsia [n = 26], mild preeclampsia [n = 15], gestational hypertension [n = 9], and healthy controls [n = 45]) were determined using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparisons of the mean values of NT-proBNP levels in the different groups were significantly different, as follows: 1766.43 ± 4197.39 pg/mL (median, 339.8 pg/mL) in severe preeclampsia, 214.97 ± 226.35 pg/mL (median, 152.3 pg/mL) in mild preeclampsia, 39.75 ± 24.85 pg/mL (median, 34.09 pg/mL) in gestational hypertension, and 78.78 ± 81.56 pg/mL (median, 48.54 pg/mL) in the healthy controls. The NT-proBNP levels of the patients with mild and severe preeclampsia were significantly higher than in the patients with gestational hypertension and the healthy control patients. There was no significant difference in NT-proBNP levels between patients with mild and severe preeclampsia (p = 0.17).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with mild and severe preeclampsia, NT-proBNP levels were elevated. This may reflect ventricular stress and/or subclinical cardiac dysfunction associated with preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.
authors.forename: Won Joon
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Seong
authors.forename: Seung Chan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dae Gy
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Tae Bon
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Il Soo
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D011247:Pregnancy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain