Effect of Heart Function on Plasma Brain Natriuretic Peptide Levels in Elderly Patients with Heart Failure

Objective To investigate the relationship between plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide(BNP) and severity of heart failure in elderly patients.Methods Blood samples were drawn within 24 hours of admission and at discharge from hospital to detect plasma BNP levels in 33 elderly patients with heart failure(observation group;7 patients NYHA class Ⅱ,20 patients NYHA class Ⅲ and 6 patients NYHA class Ⅳ) and 32 healthy elderly subjects(control group).Left ventricular enddiastolic diameter(LVEDD)and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)were measured by echocardiography.Plasma BNP levels were compared between the two groups,as well as among different NYHA class subgroups.Results Compared with control group,LVEF significantly decreased but LVEDD and plasma BNP levels significantly increased in observation group(P 0.05 or P 0.01).Compared with NYHA class Ⅱ subgroup,plasma BNP levels obviously increased in NYHA class Ⅲ and Ⅳ subgroups(P0.05).Conclusion Plasma BNP levels were positively correlated with the severity of heart failure in elderly patients.Therefore,plasma BNP levels can be used as the indicators for assessing the process and prognosis of heart failure.