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Intravenous diuretic and vasodilator therapy reduce plasma brain natriuretic peptide levels in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Respirology, 04/20/2012
Clinical Article
Zhang J et al. - Plasma brain natriuretic peptide levels decreased rapidly in patients with an acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease after therapy with a diuretic and a vasodilator, and the treatment did not impair their health status.
Methods- Forty patients with an AECOPD and high plasma BNP levels, but without any clinical evidence of cor pulmonale, were selected.
- The patients were randomly divided into two groups of 20 patients.
- In addition to standard treatment for AECOPD, the patients in group I were treated with a mild diuretic, and those in group II were treated with the diuretic and a vasodilator.
- Twenty patients with stable COPD were selected as a control group.
- Plasma BNP concentrations were measured on admission and on the third and sixth days.
- The patients' HRQOL was evaluated using the short-form 36-item (SF-36) questionnaire before and after treatment.
- Plasma BNP concentrations in patients with AECOPD were significantly decreased after treatment, and this decrease was more striking in group II than in group I.
- There were no significant differences in SF-36 domain scores between patients with stable COPD and those with acute exacerbations who were treated with a diuretic and a vasodilator.
