Changes and significances of BNP in the subjects of heart failure complicated with atrial fibrillation

Objective To explore the changes and significances of BNP plasma concentration in the subjects of heart failure complicated with atrial fibrillation.Methods 116 patients with heart failure were divided into atrial fibrillation(AF) group and sinus rhythm(SR) group.Patients in the Group AF were divided into 2 groups depend on whether the heart rate was more than 80 bpm.Plasma BNP,NYHA classification and left atrial and left ventricular end diastolic diameter were measured in every subject in each group.Results Plasma BNP concentration in group SR was higher than that in group AF,in the same subgroup of NYHA class II and III,BNP level in group AF was significantly higher than that in group SR.Plasma BNP in patients with heart failure,the level of BNP were positively correlated with age(r = 0.675,P 0.01),AF duration(r = 0.669,P 0.01),left atrial size(r = 0.734,P 0.01),left ventricular size(r = 0.846,P 0.01),in group AF BNP had no significant difference in the two groups whether heart rate was more than 80 bpm or not.Conclusion BNP levels in patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation are significantly higher than that in the group SR,and positively correlated with ages,AF duration,left atrial and left ventricular diameters.