Abstract
Objective: To determine the clinical value of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in diagnosing left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) associated with maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) population.
Methods: Plasma BNP was determined in 59 MHD patients with normal ejection fraction. The ratio of early to late annular velocity (E'/A') was determined by tissue Doppler imaging as a parameter of diastolic function.
Results: LVDD occurred in 66% of the patients. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses identified a cut-off of 353.6 pg ml(-1) as the one with the highest sensitivity and specificity for detecting LVDD.
Conclusions: Plasma BNP may serve as a potential biomarker in diagnosing LVDD in MHD patients with normal systolic function.