The use of plasma n-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (proBNP) concentrations in differential diagnosis of comorbidity pulmonary patients

Study objective: The use of plasma proBNP concentrations as a diagnostic tool in differential diagnosis of dyspnea in comorbidity pulmonary patients. Design: Observational study. Setting: University Hospital of Lung Diseases, Tirana, Albania. Patients: 67 patients with pleural effusions and 25 patients with dyspnea of unknown etiology were studied. Intervention: Plasma proBNP was measured in patients with dyspnea and pleural effusion. Measurements and results: Mean age 71±8.9 yr in patients with pleural effusions caused by CHF (n=38), 64±11.6 yr in patients with exudative effusions (n=29) [p 3.1. proBNP plasma level cut-off of 1500 ng/L had a sensitivity of 50%, specificity of 96.5%,PPV of 94%, positive and negative likely-ratio of 14.2 and 0.07 respectively, in the diagnosis of CH.F. Mean plasma proBNP level in comorbidity pulmonary patients with dyspnea was >300 ng/L, adjusting to age, only in 3 of 18 cases aged 50-70 years it was > 900 ng/L. Conclusions: The test of plasma proBNP may be one of the first diagnostic tools in comorbidity pulmonary patients with dyspnea and pleural effusions of unknown origin.