Using changes in pro-brain natriuretic peptide of plasma amino-terminal and norepinephrine levels as prognostic and diagnostic factors in hand-foot-and-mouth disease

L. Zhu, T. Qian, X.-W. Zhang, W. Huang, W.-H. Li

Intensive Care Unit, Xuzhou Children’s Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China. liweihua1975@126.com

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• Infectious Diseases

OBJECTIVE: We explored the possibility of using the variations in the pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) of serum amino-terminal and norepinephrine (NE) levels as prognostic as well as diagnostic factors in children suffering from severe hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: From February 2014 to February 2015, 102 HFMD patients were enrolled in this study. They were divided into the common group (n=55) and the severe group (n=47). During the same period, 30 healthy children were enrolled in the control group. NT-proBNP and NE levels were evaluated in all patients.

RESULTS: Our results revealed that NT-proBNP and NE levels in the common group were not evidently different compared with those of the control group. However, these levels in the severe group were significantly higher than other groups. After treatment, NT-proBNP and NE levels in the severe group were lower than those measured before treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that serum level of NT-proBNP can be used as a valuable index to judge the severity of HFMD and to predict the prognosis. We believe that NT-proBNP and NE levels can be added to other HFMD diagnostic tools.

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