Value of Follow-Up N-Terminal Probrain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) after a Modified Fontan Procedure

To assess the value of N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in short-term and long-term follow-up after a modified Fontan procedure.

We retrospectively enrolled children who had undergone a modified Fontan procedure in the Heart Center of Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from January 2014 to September 2020 and collected data on NT-proBNP values before bidirectional Glenn procedure, before Fontan procedure, and on 1, 3, 7, 30, 90, and 180 days and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 year after Fontan procedure. The relationship between changes in NT-proBNP levels and the outcomes in children was analyzed.

A total of 108 children (78 boys and 30 girls, mean age: 54.62 ± 29.38 weeks) were included in the analysis. According to one-way analysis of variance, the left ventricular type and biventricular type of single ventricle physiology showed shorter duration on cardiopulmonary bypass during the operation and lower levels of NT-proBNP after the operation than the right ventricular type and univentricular type physiology.

NT-proBNP is a good indicator for mid and long-term follow-up after a modified Fontan procedure. The left ventricular type and biventricular type of single ventricle physiology show better mid and long-term benefits from the modified Fontan procedure than the right ventricular type and univentricular type physiology.