Screening for rejection in symptomatic pediatric heart transplant recipients: the sensitivity of BNP

Abstract:  As the pediatric OHT population expands, there is increasing demand for convenient, yet sensitive screening techniques to identify children with acute rejection when they present to acute care facilities. In children, symptoms of acute rejection or other causes of graft dysfunction are often non-specific and can mimic other childhood illnesses. The aim of this study was to assess the utility of BNP as a biomarker to assist providers in clinical decision-making when evaluating symptomatic pediatric heart transplant patients. One hundred twenty-two urgent care and emergency room visits from 53 symptomatic pediatric OHT patients were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate the relationship between BNP levels, symptoms, and clinical diagnosis at these visits. An ROC curve was generated to determine the accuracy of BNP as a screening tool for acute rejection in this patient population. In this group of patients, a BNP value of >700 pg/mL was 100% sensitive and 92% specific for detecting allograft acute rejection (NPV of 100%). We concluded that BNP is a highly sensitive screening test for acute rejection in symptomatic pediatric heart transplant patients.