Serum N-Terminal Pro B-Type Natriuretic Peptide is associated with maternal complication in pregnancy with severe preeclampsia

Background Hypertension is the second most common cause of maternal death in the world. Predicting the occurrence of preeclampsia (PE) complications is needed to optimize management. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a polypeptide, secreted by cardiac ventricular myocytes. Research linking N-Terminal Pro B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) levels with maternal complications has never been conducted in Indonesia. The aim of the study is to evaluate plasma NT-proBNP levels in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and normotension and to find a relationship between NT-proBNP levels and maternal complications incidence.Methods This cross sectional study was conducted on thirty women with severe preeclampsia with gestational age >20 weeks who attended and underwent labor at Dr. Kariadi Hospital Semarang during study period. Patients with a history of chronic disease, underweight or obese, history of heart disease and consumption of heart drugs were excluded. Serum NT-proBNP was taken prior labor. Correlation between NT-proBNP serum levels and physical characteristics as well as complications was performed using the Mann-Whitney and Spearman correlation test.Results NT-proBNP serum levels were significantly higher in the severe preeclampsia group, especially early-onset compared to the normotensive group (p<0.05). Increased serum NT-proBNP levels are associated with several maternal complications, especially HELLP syndrome, pulmonary edema, retinopathy and renal impairment.Conclusions Increased serum NT-proBNP levels are associated with severe preeclampsia and several maternal complications.