Key Points
- To determine whether circulating levels of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) correlate with measures of cardiac function in asymptomatic individuals to assess its screening utility.
- Evaluated 294 consenting asymptomatic subjects using circulating BNP measurements and echocardiography.
- Assessed cardiac structure and function through echocardiographic parameters, chest X-ray cardiothoracic ratio (CTR), blood pressure, and serum creatinine.
- Applied correlation and multiple regression analyses to assess relationships between elevated BNP (>18.4 pg/ml) and cardiac markers.
- Elevated BNP (>18.4 pg/ml) significantly correlated with systolic and diastolic echocardiographic parameters, including ejection fraction (r = -0.51, p < 0.01), fractional shortening (r = -0.50, p < 0.01), and E/A ratio (r = 0.42, p < 0.01).
- BNP levels exhibited a moderate positive correlation with cardiothoracic ratio on chest radiography (r = 0.23, p < 0.01).
- Multiple regression analysis showed significant associations between raised BNP and systolic function, diastolic function, left ventricular wall thickness, blood pressure, and serum creatinine.
Structured PICO
Do circulating levels of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) correlate with cardiac function in asymptomatic subjects?
PPopulation294 consenting asymptomatic subjects
IInterventionMeasurement of circulating levels of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)
OOutcomeCorrelation with echocardiographic parameters of systolic and diastolic functionssurrogate
Elevated BNP levels correlate with echocardiographic parameters of systolic and diastolic dysfunction in asymptomatic subjects, suggesting its utility as a non-invasive screening tool for pre-clinical heart failure.