Value of plasma B-type natriuretic peptide as a marker for rejection in pediatric heart transplant recipients.

We analyzed 211 consecutive plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) measurements in 59 pediatric heart transplant patients along with echocardiographic and right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy samples. Patients with a biopsy specimen negative for rejection had significantly lower BNP levels than those patients with a biopsy positive (p