Significance of serum atrial and brain natriuretic peptide release after coronary artery bypass grafting.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to examine whether serial changes in endogenous levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) were associated with clinical status after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

METHODS

Serial blood samples were collected from 14 patients preoperatively, 2, 5 and 8 h after cardiopulmonary bypass, then up to 7 days postoperatively. Follow-up was done 2 years later.

RESULTS

We found a significant increase from the preoperative values in ANP and BNP concentrations on postoperative days 1 and 3 (P < 0.001). The elevated BNP concentration correlated with the preoperative values (r2 = 0.824, P = 0.0005). Retrospectively, the BNP concentrations after surgery in the patients who suffered cardiac events within 2 years were significantly higher than those in the patients free of cardiac events (P = 0.0023).

CONCLUSION

The BNP concentration after CABG was found to be corrected with interim clinical status after surgery. Thus, it may be necessary for patients with a high postoperative BNP concentration to be closely monitored for coronary events.