Abstract: Abstract Objective: To investigate the correlation between PASP and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), endothelial function, inflammatory mediators and evaluate mechanism of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH). Methods: Pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), plasma BNP, endothelin-1 (ET-1), serum nitric oxide (NO), serum hyper sensitive C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured in 92 patients with PAH and 50 healthy persons. Results: Compared with healthy persons, BNP, ET-1, hs-CRP and TNF-αwere significantly increased (P<0.05), while serum NO were reduced in patients with PAH (P<0.05). PASP in patients with PAH were positively correlated with plasma BNP(r=0.574), hs-CRP(r=0.423), ET-1(r=0.402) and TNF-α(r=0.366); while negatively correlated with serum NO(r=-0.378). Conclusion: The occurance of PAH is decided by interrelation of natriuretic peptide system, endothelial system and inflammation.

Key words: pulmonary artery hypertension, brain natriuretic peptide, endothelin-1, nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-α, C-reactive protein