Respiratory Research (Jun 2011)

Diagnostic utility of C-reactive Protein combined with brain natriuretic peptide in acute pulmonary edema: a cross sectional study

  • Murakami Junji,
  • Ebi Noriyuki,
  • Yamaguchi Ou,
  • Eshima Nobuoki,
  • Takahashi Osamu,
  • Teramoto Shinji,
  • Ishii Hiroshi,
  • Komiya Kosaku,
  • Yamamoto Hidehiko,
  • Kadota Jun-ichi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1465-9921-12-83
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
p. 83

Abstract

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Abstract Introduction Discriminating acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) from cardiogenic pulmonary edema (CPE) using the plasma level of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) alone remains controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic utility of combination measurements of BNP and C-reactive protein (CRP) in critically ill patients with pulmonary edema. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. BNP and CRP data from 147 patients who presented to the emergency department due to acute respiratory failure with bilateral pulmonary infiltrates were analyzed. Results There were 53 patients with ALI/ARDS, 71 with CPE, and 23 with mixed edema. Median BNP and CRP levels were 202 (interquartile range 95-439) pg/mL and 119 (62-165) mg/L in ALI/ARDS, and 691 (416-1,194) pg/mL (p Conclusions Measurement of CRP is useful as well as that of BNP for distinguishing ALI/ARDS from CPE. Furthermore, a combination of BNP and CRP can provide higher accuracy for the diagnosis.