Plasma concentration of atrial natriuretic peptide is related to the duration of atrial fibrillation in patients with advanced heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Plasma concentration of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is elevated in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).Aim. To assess ANP level in patients with permanent AF and advanced CHF.

METHODS: The study group consisted of 41 patients (27 males, mean age 62+/-8 years) with AF of a mean duration of 8.8 months. Twenty six (63%) patients were in NYHA class II, and 15 (37%) - in NYHA class III or IV. All patients underwent clinical and echocardiographic evaluation as well as ANP plasma concentration assessment. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors which determine ANP plasma concentration.

RESULTS: Mean ANP plasma concentration was 52.4+/-22.7 pg/ml in the whole study group; 38.6+/-10.8 pg/ml in NYHA class II patients and 74.9+/-18.7 pg/ml in NYHA class III-IV subjects (p<0.0001). Among echocardiographic parameters, patients with NYHA class III or IV had significantly lower left ventricular ejection fraction and greater left atrial volume than patients with NYHA class II (32% versus 56%, p<0.0001 and 101.0+/-23.8 cm(3) versus 83.4+/-16.1 cm(3), p<0.006, respectively). Multiple regression analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between AF duration and ANP level (p=0.0013) in a group of patients with NYHA class III or IV and identified AF duration as an independent predictor of ANP plasma concentration in this group of patients.

CONCLUSIONS: ANP plasma concentration in patients with persistent AF and advanced CHF is determined by AF duration - the longer the AF duration the lower the ANP level.