Summary

Right ventricular (RV) function is of major prognostic significancein patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). The aim of the presentstudy was to evaluate the role of neurohormone plasma brain natriureticpeptide (BNP) in assessing RV function in patients with acute PE.BNP levels were measured in 16 consecutive patients with acute PEas diagnosed by high probability lung scintigraphy or pulmonary angiography.Twelve healthy age-matched volunteers served as controls.All 16 patients underwent standard echocardiography and blood testsduring the first hour of presentation. In the patient group, survival wasstudied for a period of 30 days. Plasma BNP levels in patients withacute PE were higher than in controls (7.2 [95% CI 0.4 to 144.6] versus1.4[95% CI 0.4 to 4.6] pmol/L, p = 0.0008). Plasma BNP was significantlyhigher in 5 patients with RV dysfunction compared to 11 patientswith normal RV function (40.2 [95% CI 7.5 to 214.9] versus 3.3 [95%CI 0.4 to 24.9] pmol/L, p = 0.0003). RV systolic pressure was notsignificantly correlated with BNP (r = 0.42, p = ns).In conclusion, plasma BNP neurohormone levels might be ofclinical importance as a supplementary tool for assessment of RVfunction in patients with acute PE.