Peri-procedural elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is also associated with worse outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). However, the mechanism of BNP regulation in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) remains unknown. Consecutive patients with severe AS who were referred for TAVI were enrolled in our prospective registry. BNP levels were correlated with other clinical variables. Ninety-six patients (84.7 ± 5.0 years old, 34% males) were investigated in this study. Plasma BNP averaged 353 ± 179 pg/mL. Log10 BNP had no significant correlation with severity of AS including aortic valve area and maximum flow velocity across the aortic valve (P > 0.05 for all), whereas a higher left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVDd) index was a significant factor associating with BNP >100 pg/mL with an odds ratio of 1.34 (95% confidence interval 1.06-1.52, P = 0.004) adjusted for several other echocardiographic parameters, with a cutoff of 30.8 mm/m2 (equivalent to LVDd 44 mm). In conclusion, among the patients with severe AS who undergo TAVI, even slight eccentric hypertrophy can cause a considerable increase in BNP level.
Keywords: Heart failure; Hemodynamics; Valve disease.