title: [Correlation between the blood serum BNP level and the left cardiac function in children with congenital heart disease].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the correlation between the blood serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level and the left cardiac function in children with congenital heart disease (CHD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical data of 41 CHD children were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups based on the existence of congestive heart failure (CHF): CHD+CHF (n=21) and CHD alone (n=20). The blood serum BNP level was determined using chemiluminescence immunoassay, and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was measured with echocardiogram.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum BNP level was 1353 pg/mL (range: 926-2978) in the CHD+CHF group, which was significantly higher than in the CHD alone group[149 pg/mL (range: 75-242)] (P<0.01). The LVEF was 60% (range: 53%-65%) in the CHD+CHF group, which was significantly lower than in the CHD alone group[68% (range: 64%-72%)] (P<0.01). The serum BNP level showed a negative correlation with the LVEF level (r=-0.652, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The blood serum BNP level is related to the cardiac function. For children with severe CHD+CHF, serum BNP level can be used as a sensitive indicator for evaluating cardiac function damage.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, China Medical University, Shengjing Hospital, Shenyang 110004, China.
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jiu-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D013318:Stroke Volume; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
chemical_list: D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain