Objective: To evaluate if amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) plasma levels reflect intracardiac filling pressures in pre-eclamptic patients. Study design: In a cross-sectional study we investigated 22 untreated critically ill pre-eclamptic women between 22 and 34 weeks gestation. All patients underwent intra-arterial blood pressure and central hemodynamic measurements and NT-proBNP was determined in stored plasma. Baseline characteristics, plasma NT-proBNP concentrations and relevant laboratory variables were investigated for correlations with hemodynamic values using Spearman's rank correlation test. Results: No significant correlations were demonstrated between NT-proBNP concentrations and variables associated with the severity of the pre-eclampsia. We found significant positive correlations between NT-proBNP and diastolic pulmonary pressure (r = 0.59; p = 0.005) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) (r = 0.51; p = 0.015). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the association between NT-proBNP and PCWP was not affected by creatinine level. Conclusion: NT-proBNP is a biomarker of left ventricular cardiac filling pressures in untreated pre-eclamptic patients.

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doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2010.06.011, hdl.handle.net/1765/27940
European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Speksnijder, L., Rutten, J., van den Meiracker, A., de Bruin, R., Lindemans, J., Hop, W., & Visser, W. (2010). Amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a biomarker of cardiac filling pressures in pre-eclampsia. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 153(1), 12–15. doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2010.06.011