Pleural Fluid Amino-Terminal Brain Natriuretic Peptide in Patients With Pleural Effusions


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Cincin A., Abul Y., ÖZBEN SADIÇ B., Tanrikulu A., Topaloglu N., Ozgul G., ...Daha Fazla

RESPIRATORY CARE, cilt.58, sa.2, ss.313-319, 2013 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 58 Sayı: 2
  • Basım Tarihi: 2013
  • Doi Numarası: 10.4187/respcare.01818
  • Dergi Adı: RESPIRATORY CARE
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.313-319
  • Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Hayır

Özet

BACKGROUND: Definite diagnosis of transudative or exudative pleural fluids often presents a diagnostic dilemma. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether amino-terminal brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels in pleural fluid has a diagnostic value for discriminating heart-failure-related pleural effusions from non-heart-failure effusions. METHODS: Sixty-six subjects (40 male, mean age 61 +/- 18 y) with pleural effusions were included. Samples of pleural fluid and serum were obtained simultaneously from each subject. Biochemical analysis, bacterial and fungal culture, acid-fast bacilli smear and culture, and cytology were performed on the pleural fluid. RESULTS: Subjects with heart-failure-related pleural effusion had significantly higher pleural NT-proBNP levels than other subjects (P < .001). Pleural and serum NT-proBNP measures were closely correlated (r = 0.90, P < .001). An NT-proBNP cutoff value of >= 2,300 pg/mL in pleural fluid had a sensitivity of 70.8%, a specificity of 97.6%, and positive and negative predictive values of 94.4% and 85.4%, respectively, for discriminating transudates caused by heart failure from exudates. Eight heart-failure subjects were misclassified as exudates by Light's criteria, 5 of whom received diuretics before thoracentesis. All misclassified subjects had pleural NT-proBNP levels higher than 1,165 pg/mL, which predicted heart-failure-associated transudates with 95.8% sensitivity and 85.7% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Pleural fluid NT-proBNP measurement in the routine diagnostic panel may be useful in differentiation of heart-failure-related pleural effusions and exudative pleural fluids with reasonable accuracy, especially in heart-failure patients treated with diuretics.