Utility of B-Natriuretic Peptide in Detecting Diastolic Dysfunction

BACKGROUND: Although Doppler echocardiography has been used to identify abnormal left ventricular (LV) diastolic filling dynamics, inherent limitations suggest the need for additional measures of diastolic dysfunction. Because data suggest that B-natriuretic peptide (BNP) partially reflects ventricular pressure, we hypothesized that BNP levels could predict diastolic abnormalities in patients with normal systolic function. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 294 patients referred for echocardiography to evaluate ventricular function. Patients with abnormal systolic function were excluded. Cardiologists making the assessment of LV function were blinded to BNP levels. Patients were classified as normal, impaired…