The effect of B-type brain natriuretic peptide on patients with acute decompensated heart failure coexisting with lung cancer: a randomized controlled clinical trial

Congestive heart failure (CHF) as a common comorbidity in patients with lung cancer, especially those of old age. The tumor combined with heart failure makes the reasons of dyspnea more complicated and effective drugs to improve symptoms are urgently needed. Recombinant human B-type natriuretic peptide (rhBNP) is a member of the natriuretic peptide family that exerts cardiovascular effects. The major goal of this study was to study the effect of rhBNP on patients with decompensated heart failure coexisted with lung cancer. Emergency decompensated HF patients with lung cancer admitted for dyspnea were randomly assigned to open label therapy with standard treatment (control group) or standard treatment + rhBNP(rhBNP group) for up to 7 days. Then we recorded the changes of symptoms, examined and followed up every 3 months to evaluate the effect of rhBNP on decompensated heart failure patients with lung cancer. We found that dyspnea, fatigue and edema of lower extremity were significantly improved in the rhBNP group compared to the control group after 7 days of treatment. Survival rate was not significantly different in the mean 18.4 +/- 8.6 months of follow-up. Results from our study suggested that rhBNP significantly improved symptoms in emergency decompensated HF patients with lung cancer admitted for dyspnea in the short-term, but did not improve survival rate in the long-term.