B-type natriuretic peptide as a marker of subclinical heart injury during mitoxantrone therapy in MS patients--preliminary study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the plasma level changes of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), biochemical marker of heart failure, and echocardiographic parameters during mitoxantrone treatment in 22 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients (8 males, 14 females, mean age 37.1+/-6.6). Mitoxantrone (after mean cumulative dose of 58.0+/-7.0 mg/m(2)) did not alter left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), posterior wall thickness (PWT) and left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV). However, mean plasma level of BNP raised from 14.53+/-3.29 pg/ml at the baseline to 16.79+/-3.05 pg/ml and 18.83+/-4.90 pg/ml (P