CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PLASMA LEVEL OF THE BRAIN, AND ATRIAL NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC RESPIRATORY FAILURE COMPLICATING WITH PULMONARY HYPERTENSION

Abstract

The feasibility of using the plasma brain and atrial natriuretic peptide (BNP, ANP) level as an index of pulmonary hypertension (PH) with chronic respiratory failure was evaluated. We examined PH by echocardiography with continuous wave Doppler method in 21 patients with chronic respiratory failure (>Hugh-Jones grade II, pulmonary emphysema/old pulmonary tuberculosis) and classified PH into three groups according to normal, moderately or severe impairment. In the severe PH group, plasma BNP and ANP levels were significantly increased, whereas moderately PH group, the increase in plasma BNP and ANP levels were not significant. The results suggests the increase in the plasma BNP and ANP levels at rest failure may be a non-invasive index of severe pulmonary hypertension with chronic respiratory.