Role of N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) in compensated chronic kidney disease

Aim: To evaluate the role of N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) in the evaluation of hypervolemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its relationship with CKD. Methods: Sixty compensated chronic kidney disease patients enrolled in this study. NT-pro BNP levels and other routine biochemical laboratory parameters are studied. The associations between results were analyzed. Results: NT-pro BNP levels were correlated with urea (r = 0.66, p <0.01), creatinine (r = 0.69, p <0.01) and phosphorus (r = 0.36, p <0.01) values and were negative correlated with hemoglobin (r = -0.32, p = 0.01), hematocrit (r = -0.36, p <0.01), albumin (r = -0.29, p = 0.02) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) values (r = -0.35, p <0.01). Conclusion: The positive correlation between NT-pro BNP levels and urea and creatinine values in our study and the negative correlation with GFR support that the severity of hypervolemia increases as the CKD stage progresses. BNP and NT-pro BNP are strong predictors of all-cause cardiovascular mortality in asymptomatic CKD patients. In the light of all these data, it is possible to suggest that NT-pro BNP is associated with hypervolemia and therefore increased cardiovascular mortality in subjects with CKD.