Plasma concentrations of brain natriuretic peptide in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Hyponatremia after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is commonly associated with diuresis and natriuresis, but the causes are still controversial. We investigated whether brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) was related to such hyponatremia.

METHODS: Plasma BNP concentrations were measured by immunoradiometric assay in 18 patients at 0 to 2 days (period 1), 7 to 9 days (period 2), and > 14 days (period 3) after SAH. Plasma concentrations of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), and noradrenaline were also measured during period 2.

RESULTS: The 11 patients with hyponatremia (serum sodium concentration of < 135 mEq/L) had much higher plasma BNP concentrations during each period than did healthy controls (P < 0.05), whereas the 7 patients with normonatremia did not show statistically higher values. In the patients with hyponatremia, the plasma BNP concentration during period 2 was statistically higher than that during periods 1 and 3 (P < 0.05). The plasma noradrenaline concentration during period 2 was higher in patients with hyponatremia than in those with normonatremia (P < 0.05), whereas the plasma concentrations of ADH and ANP during period 2 were not statistically different between the hyponatremic and normonatremic patients.

CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that BNP may be related to hyponatremia associated with natriuresis following SAH. The increase of noradrenaline may promote the secretion of BNP.