title: Plasma brain natriuretic peptide and C-type natriuretic peptide in essential hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the relationship between hypertension and the plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), and to determine whether the plasma levels of BNP and CNP are correlated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of the plasma levels of BNP and CNP in hypertensive patients and normotensive controls matched for age and sex was performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The hypertension research clinic in a teaching hospital and well-person risk factor screening clinics in general practice health centres.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-four subjects (29 hypertensive, 25 normotensive controls) took part in the study after giving their informed consent. Hypertensive patients (n = 19) were paired with normotensive controls (n = 19) matched for age and sex to form a subgroup before analysis of the plasma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The plasma levels of BNP and CNP were determined by specific radioimmunoassays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean plasma concentration of BNP was significantly higher in the hypertensive group than in the paired controls. In contrast, the mean plasma concentration of CNP was not significantly different in the hypertensive group than in the paired controls. Multiple regression analysis of all 54 subjects showed that the plasma level of BNP correlated significantly with age and systolic blood pressure, whereas the plasma level of CNP correlated significantly with sex, heart rate and alcohol intake. The CNP levels did not correlate significantly with either systolic or diastolic blood pressure, or with plasma brain natriuretic levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypertension is associated with raised BNP but not CNP plasma levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D020098:Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D020098:Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine