Cardiovascular complications are the most important causes of mortality and morbidity in children with end stage renal disease and renal transplant recipients. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is an important biological marker to assess left ventricular dysfunction. Aim: To investigate BNP changes and the diagnostic value of BNP for cardiac functions in dialysis patients and renal transplant recipients.
Methods: Plasma BNP concentration was measured in 22 dialysis patients and 14 renal transplant recipients (median age: 189.5 (77-264) months). Echocardiographic examinations were performed to determine the relationship between BNP and cardiac functions.
Results:The median plasma BNP levels were significantly higher in dialysis patients than renal transplant recipients (p<0.001). Mean ejection fraction (EF), shortening fraction (SF), were significantly lower in dialysis group.There was significant negative correlation between plasma BNP levels and EF and SF (p<0.01) and a positive correlation with left vetricular systolic diameter (p<0.01). Plasma BNP levels are significantly higher in dialysis patients than those in renal transplant recipients, and high plasma BNP level is significantly correlated with dilated left ventricle and poor cardiac function. Renal transplantation has beneficial effects on cardiac functions and BNP value would be useful as a predictive marker of ventricular dysfunction in early identification of high risk patients.