A.M., Montgomery A., Bazzy-Asaad J.D., Asnes M.J., Bizzarro R.A., Ehrenkranz C.G., Weismann Supplementary Material for: Biochemical Screening for Pulmonary Hypertension in Preterm Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia <b><i>Background:</i></b> Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Elevated levels of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and decreased levels of amino acid precursors of nitric oxide (NO) have been associated with PH, but have not been studied in infants with PH secondary to BPD. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> The aim of this study was to identify a biochemical marker for PH in infants with BPD. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Twenty infants, born at <27 weeks' gestational age (GA) and/or with a birth weight (BW) ≤750 g, who met the criteria for BPD at 36 weeks' corrected GA (CGA) were enrolled in this cross-sectional pilot study. A screening echocardiogram was conducted at 36-38 weeks' CGA and plasma NT-proBNP and amino acid levels were obtained within 1 week of the screening echocardiogram. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Five infants (25%) had echocardiographic evidence of PH. GA and BW were not significantly different between the 2 groups (a PH group and a No PH group). NT-proBNP was significantly elevated in the PH group (median 1,650 vs. 520 pg/ml; p = 0.001) but citrulline levels were significantly lower (median 21 vs. 36 μmol/l; p = 0.005). Arginine levels were not significantly different between the groups (median 78 vs. 79 μmol/l; p = 1). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> NT-proBNP and the NO precursor citrulline may be cost-effective biochemical markers for screening for the presence of PH in preterm infants who have BPD. If validated in a larger study, such biochemical markers may, in part, replace PH screening echocardiograms in these patients. Pulmonary hypertension;Prematurity;Bronchopulmonary dysplasia;Echocardiography;Citrulline;N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide;Biochemical markers 2016-01-19
    https://karger.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Supplementary_Material_for_Biochemical_Screening_for_Pulmonary_Hypertension_in_Preterm_Infants_with_Bronchopulmonary_Dysplasia/5129050
10.6084/m9.figshare.5129050.v1