Is Plasma Concentration of NT‐Pro‐Brain Natriuretic Peptide Associated with Left Ventricle Hypertrophy among Hemodialysis Patients?

OBJECTIVE To determine the association of plasma amino terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) level with left ventricle hypertrophy (LVH) among hemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS We evaluated 65 patients on maintenance HD (28 women, 37 men) treated thrice weekly by low‐flux hollow‐fiber dialyzers for at least 6 months. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to whether they had LVH. NT‐proBNP concentration of the patients was measured before and after the HD session. Cardiac parameters were detected by echocardiography after the day of HD after the session. RESULTS In group 1 were the 34 patients who were LVH(−) (19 women and 15 men) and in group 2 were the 31 patients who were LVH(+) (9 women and 22 men). Mean left ventricular posterior wall diameter (LVPWd) was 0.87 ± 0.16 cm in group 1 and 1.28 ± 0.16 cm in group 2 ( p < .001). Men were predominant in group 2 ( p = .029). The patients in group 2 were older than those in group 1 ( p = .033). There were no significant differences between the groups in pre‐HD and post‐HD NT‐proBNP levels ( p = .163 and p = .327, respectively). We did not find any significant relationship between mean concentration of pre‐HD NT‐proBNP and LVPWd ( r = 0.064, p = 0.612). A positive correlation was found between mean concentration of pre‐HD NT‐proBNP with age (r = 0.281, p = 0.023), MAP ( r = 0.469, p < 0.001), and left atrial diameter ( r = 0.322, p = 0.009). CONCLUSION Although increased serum levels of NT‐proBNP in HD patients was found to be related to LAd, an indicator of hypervolemia, there was no association between NT‐proBNP and LVH. Elevation of NT‐proBNP is affected by multiple factors such as age, sex, arterial blood pressure, and dialyzer membrane.