title: Circadian rhythms of atrial natriuretic peptide, blood pressure and heart rate in normal subjects.
abstract: The occurrence and extent of a circadian rhythm in the circulating concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is still a matter of controversy. In a group of hospitalized normal volunteers (6 men and 4 women, 16-76 years old), we investigated the circadian variability of ANP and its temporal relation with the circadian rhythms of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR), by using a chronobiological inferential statistical method. At the end of a synchronizing period of 1 week (the diet and the daily schedule were standardized), the subjects underwent automatic BP and HR monitoring, and blood sampling for 24 h. A statistically significant mean circadian rhythm was demonstrated for ANP, BP, and HR. The mean circadian acrophase of ANP was calculated to occur around 4 a.m. BP and HR rhythms appeared to be in antiphase with ANP rhythm, i.e. the peak of BP and HR rhythms more or less coincided with a trough in ANP rhythm. ANP appears to be anticipatory in its circadian periodic rise to awakening. Therefore, postural changes cannot fully account for the diurnal variations observed.
authors.affiliation: Medical Clinic, University of Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Portaluppi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Montanari
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bagni
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: degli Uberti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trasforini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Margutti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor