title: Secretion and clinical significance of atrial natriuretic peptide in patients with muscular dystrophy.
abstract: The plasma concentration of atrial natriuretic peptide was measured in patients with muscular dystrophies to study its relationship with congestive heart failure. In patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the plasma atrial natriuretic peptide concentration was 35.5 +/- 3.3 pg/mL (mean +/- SE), which was higher than that in age-matched normal subjects (9.8 +/- 0.6 pg/mL). It increased with progression of disability and showed significant correlations with the cardiothoracic ratio and the ratio of the preejection period to the left ventricular ejection time. In patients with other types of muscular dystrophy, the plasma atrial natriuretic peptide concentration showed no significant change. Immunohistochemical examination demonstrated many atrial natriuretic peptide-positive cells in atrial muscle of an autopsied patient, indicating preservation of the peptide until the end stage. These findings suggest that measurement of the plasma atrial natriuretic peptide concentration is useful for evaluating heart failure in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
authors: First Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Tokushima, Japan.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Kawai
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Adachi
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Kimura
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Nishiuchi
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Yamasaki
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Tsutsui
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Saito
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D009211:Myoglobin / Q000097:blood; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests
chemical_list: D009211:Myoglobin; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D003402:Creatine Kinase