Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide is elevated in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide are elevated in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and to determine the relationship of atrial natriuretic peptide to symptoms and echocardiographic indices of left ventricular structure and diastolic function in these patients.


METHODS
A prospective study in which atrial natriuretic peptide was measured in peripheral venous plasma in 14 patients (age 44 +/- 14 years) with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and 17 healthy controls. Echocardiography was performed in all cases and 30 controls to examine indices of left heart structure and function. All patients underwent clinical evaluation.


RESULTS
The concentration of atrial natriuretic peptide was significantly higher in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy than controls, (17.86 +/- 8.72 vs. 6.22 +/- 3.26 pmol/l, P = 0.0001). Diastolic dysfunction was observed in 11 of 14 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. No correlation was demonstrated between atrial natriuretic peptide levels and the degree of diastolic dysfunction, septal or free wall thickness, left atrial size, degree of mitral regurgitation or New York Heart Association functional class.


CONCLUSIONS
Plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide are elevated in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy but do not correlate with symptoms or echocardiographically-derived indices of left ventricular structure or diastolic function.
Fahy
G J
GJ
Department of Cardiology, University College, Dublin, Ireland.
McCreery
C J
CJ
O'Sullivan
F
F
Keenan
A K
AK
Quigley
P J
PJ
Maurer
B J
BJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor