Plasma concentrations of aminoterminal pro atrial natriuretic peptide and aminoterminal pro brain natriuretic peptide in healthy neonates: marked and rapid increase after birth.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to examine the possible age dependency of plasma N-terminal pro atrial natriuretic peptide (N-ANP) and N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (N-BNP) levels in healthy term neonates to establish normal ranges for the neonatal period.


METHODS
N-ANP and N-BNP plasma concentrations were measured in peripheral venous (n = 116) and umbilical cord blood (n = 37) in 153 healthy term neonates (mean: 5.1; range: 0-30 days) using an enzyme immunoassay. The neonates were classified into 8 groups according to their age (day of delivery and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-7, 8-14, and 14-30 days of age).


RESULTS
The plasma N-ANP and N-BNP concentration were the highest at the first day of age (96 700; 6912-436 000 and 641; 254-1272 fmol/mL) and were found significantly higher compared with the day of delivery (5680; 1005-16 900 and 221; 58-478 fmol/mL; P < 0,0001). After this marked increase, N-ANP and N-BNP levels decreased steadily and became stable at the fifth (5232; 2691-7353 fmol/mL) and third (246; 110-430 fmol/mL) day of life, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The N-ANP and N-BNP plasma concentrations in healthy neonates showed a marked increase during the first days of age, suggesting that ANP and BNP have physiologic roles in the perinatal circulatory change from fetus to neonate.
Mir
Thomas S
TS
Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Abteilung für Kinderkardiologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. mir@uke.uni-hamburg.de
Laux
Reinhard
R
Hellwege
Hans Henning
HH
Liedke
Bozena
B
Heinze
Cornelius
C
von Buelow
Helmut
H
Läer
Stephanie
S
Weil
Jochen
J
D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values
C099254:N-terminal proatrial natriuretic peptide; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011498:Protein Precursors; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor