B-type natriuretic peptide in children with atrial or ventricular septal defect: a cardiac catheterization study

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the relationship between plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and hemodynamics from cardiac catheterization in pediatric patients with atrial or ventricular septal defect. A total of 59 patients were studied including 80% of patients had Qp/Qs > 1.5 and 25% of patients had pulmonary hypertension. The mean BNP value and BNP z-score were 10.9 ± 11.2 pg/mL and −0.28 ± 1.7 (−2.85 to 3.29), respectively. There was a statistically significant linear correlation between BNP value and the size of defects (r = 0.303, p = 0.002) and a trend toward to positive correlation between BNP value and Qp/Qs ratio (r = 0.183, p = 0.166) among all patients. To identify patients with a Qp/Qs ratio >1.5, the sensitivity and specificity were 28%, 100% in all patients at a plasma BNP cut-off point of 15 pg/mL. We concluded that a BNP > 15 pg/mL would help identify patients who need further intervention.

Keywords::

• Atrial septal defect
• biomarker
• B-type natriuretic peptide
• cardiac catheterization
• ventricular septal defect

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Ming-Chih Lin for his assistance in performing echocardiography and cardiac catheterization.

Declaration of interest

This study was supported by the Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan (TCVGH976505B). The manuscript has not any potential conflict of interest, real or perceived and has not any study sponsor. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Dr Jan, but not by an honorarium, grant, or other form of payment was given to anyone to produce the manuscript. The corresponding author has the right to grant on behalf of all authors and does grant on behalf of all authors. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript, and hereby transfer and assign all copyright ownership of the paper to the “BIOMARKERS,” in the event that such work is published.