1994 Volume 27 Issue 10 Pages 1295-1301
We assessed whether human atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP) and cyclic AMP (cGMP) might be suitable markers to determine “dry body weight” in chronic hemodialysis patients, especially those whose cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) is always high. The results are as follows: 1. Plasma cGMP decreased significantly from 31.4±15.9pmol/ml before hemodialysis therapy to 10.4±5.4pmol/ml after hemodialysis therapy (n=22). Plasma cGMP levels are a good indicator of “dry body weight”, the same as hANP levels. 2. Serum hANP levels are correlated with left ventricular diameter as determined by echocardiography, and inversely correlate with left ventricular ejection fraction. Thus plasma hANP levels appear to be a reliable marker for fluid overload. Even when the CTR is greater than 50%, some patients have no clinical signs of hyperhydration on the basis of their physical findings, echocardiography findings or plasma hANP levels. Therefore, in these patients “dry body weight” does not need to be reduced until the CTR is within the normtal range.
In conclusion, measurement of both serum hANP and cGMP is useful in determining and monitoring the “dry body weight” of hemodialysis patients.
