NT-Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Levels in Infants with Failure to Thrive due to Caloric Deprivation

Abstract EN

Background.

Brain natriuretic peptide and its inactive fragment N-terminal pro-BNP (N-BNP) are reliable markers of ventricular dysfunction in adults and children.

We analyzed the impact of nutritional state on N-BNP levels in infants with failure to thrive (FTT) and in infants with severe heart failure (HF).

The purpose of this study was to compare N-BNP levels in infants with FTT with infants with severe HF and healthy controls.

Methods.

In a retrospective cohort study, we compared N-BNP levels from all consecutive infants with FTT and bodyweight below the tenth percentile (caloric deprivation (CD) group) to infants with severe HF.

Reference values from infants between 2 and 12 month were taken from the literature and healthy infants.

Results.

Our results show that infants with FTT (n=15) had significantly (P<.001) elevated N-BNP values compared with the healthy infants (n=23), 530 (119–3150) pg/mL versus 115 (15–1121) pg/mL.

N-BNP values in this CD group are comparable to the median value of infants with severe HF (n=12) 673 (408–11310) pg/mL.

There is no statistical significant difference in age.

Conclusion.

Nutritional state has an important impact on N-BNP levels in infants with FTT.

We could show comparable levels of N-BNP in infants with FTT and infants with severe HF.