Evaluation of serum NT-proBNP levels' role in patients with brain edema and the relationship between the clinical course.

The purpose of our study is defining of brain edema in asymtomatic period of the pediatric patients with intracranial patology (CNS infection, intracranial bleeding?). NT-proBNP levels were measured before treatment and after treatment to research relationship between brain edema and BNP levels in patients with brain edema who initiated treatment to take decision of continue treatment and appoint the clinical course.Research was performed on 75 patients; ranging in ages from 1 mounth to 15 years male and female, İn Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics Intensive Care Unit. The study population included 25 patients with brain edema, 25 patient with intracranial pathology (CNS infection, intracranial bleeding?) without brain edema and 25 healthy volunteers.Pretreatment mean levels of NT-proBNP were found 2144,66 ± 864,54 pg/ml in patients with brain edema; 199,7 ± 1256,05 pg/ml in patients with intracranial pathology without brain edema; 172,54 ± 26,33 pg/ml in the control group. NT-proBNP plasma concentrations were found to be significantly higher in the patient group with brain edema than in the control group (p=0,000). There were no significant differences in the BNP plasma concentrations between patients with intracranial pathology without brain edema and the control group (p=0,516). Results showed that there was a negative correlation (r= -0,347, p=0.013) between BNP levels and the first arrival GCS. BNP plasma concentrations measured before treatment were found significantly higher in the patient with brain edema as compared to patient without brain edema (p=0,020). İn the patients group with brain edema, there was statistically significant difference between plasma NT-proBNP levels before treatment and after treatment (p=0,001).Plasma BNP level was significantly elevated in patient with brain edema as compared to the patient with intracranial pathology without brain edema and the control group. There were significantly difference between pretreatment plasma BNP levels of the patient with intracranial pathology without brain edema and patient with brain edema. Remain high levels of BNP dependent on Brain edema showed that may be a counter-mechanism toward reduction of brain edema and may be secreted from brain cells therefore we think use of plasma NT-proBNP levels as a marker in patients with suspicion of brain edema. The wider group of patients with more extensive studies are needed about this issue.