title: NT-proBNP in normoalbuminuric patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine levels of NT-proBNP and its relation to hypertension, as well as diastolic function in normoalbuminuric patients with Type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised 60 Type 2 diabetic patients without albuminuria. Thirty patients were normotensive and 30 had hypertension. Exclusion criteria were cardiac symptoms and an ejection fraction < 55%. Thirty age- and sex-matched normal subjects served as controls. Diastolic dysfunction was assessed with echocardiography, by means of mitral inflow and colour M-Mode flow propagation recordings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall NT-proBNP was significantly elevated in the Type 2 diabetes group, compared with the controls [54.5 pg/ml (5-162) vs. 32.7 pg/ml (5-74.3) P = 0.02]. NT-proBNP was significantly higher among hypertensive patients compared with both normotensive patients and controls but no difference was found between the normotensive patients and the controls [58.0 pg/ml (8.5-162), P < 0.05 vs. 50.8 pg/ml (5-131) P = 0.4]. Patients with concentric and eccentric hypertrophy had significantly higher NT-proBNP levels compared with the control group [81.0 pg/ml (5-147), P < 0.001 and 66.8 pg/ml (42-128), P < 0.001], whereas patients with left ventricular remodelling (enlarged relative wall diameter but normal left ventricular mass) were comparable with the control group [42.3 pg/ml (8.3-142) P = 0.55]. Patients with left atrial enlargement also had incremental NT-proBNP values. NT-proBNP was only moderately correlated to age (r = 0.33, P < 0.05) and left ventricular diastolic diameter (r = 0.41, P < 0.05), but unrelated to diastolic function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NT-proBNP is significantly increased in hypertensive, normoalbuminuric patients with Type 2 diabetes. These findings were related to left ventricular hypertrophy and increased left atrial and ventricular diameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine M., Diabetes & Endocrinology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. holmark@iekf.au.dk
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Poulsen
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Knudsen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heickendorff
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Mogensen
mesh_terms: D000419:Albuminuria / Q000097:blood*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000097:blood*; D003971:Diastole; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain