Clinical significance of natriuretic peptides and cyclic GMP in hemodialysis patients with coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND: Plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) are suitable markers of 'dry body weight' (DW) in hemodialysis (HD) patients. However, it is still unknown whether these markers can be applied to patients with renal failure and coronary artery disease (CAD). We examined the reliability of these peptides as volume markers in HD patients with CAD. We also assessed the relationship between natriuretic peptides and indices of left ventricular (LV) function. METHODS: Plasma concentrations of ANP, BNP and cGMP were determined before and after HD in patients with CAD (group 1, n = 19, mean age 63 +/- 12 years) and were compared with those of patients without cardiac disease (group 2, n = 20, age 61 +/- 15 years). Using data obtained by cardiac catheterization, we examined the relationship between natriuretic peptides and indices of LV function in HD patients with CAD. RESULTS: Baseline ANP (244 +/- 205 pg/ml), BNP (713 +/- 928 pg/ml) and cGMP (29.6 +/- 21.6 pmol/ml) were significantly higher in group 1 than in 11 healthy volunteers (18.6 +/- 9.9 pg/ml, 7.7 +/- 7.6 pg/ml, cGMP 8.9 +/- 4.9 pmol/ml, respectively). HD significantly reduced plasma ANP (87 +/- 75 pg/ml) and BNP (477 +/- 702 pg/ml) although they were still above normal control. HD reduced plasma cGMP (7.2 +/- 4.5 pmol/ml) to normal values, suggesting the elimination of cGMP across the dialyzers. Baseline levels of ANP, BNP and cGMP in group 2 were less than those of group 1 but higher than the control. HD reduced natriuretic peptides in group 2 to levels lower than those in post-HD group 1. After HD, there was no significant correlation between reductions in body weight and changes in ANP or BNP. Baseline ANP and BNP levels closely correlated with pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary artery wedge pressure, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and left ventricular ejection fraction. A significant correlation was observed between BNP levels and the severity of CAD. CONCLUSION: ANP, BNP and cGMP seem to be a useful markers for fluid overload but not for DW in HD patients with CAD. Plasma ANP and BNP might be useful markers for left ventricular function.