title: Plasma N terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels and its determinants in a multi-ethnic population.
abstract: This study documents the determinants and plasma levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) among hypertensive and normotensive subjects in a multi-ethnic population in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We obtained demographic, anthropometric and clinical data, together with fasting NT-proBNP and biochemical indices from 128 hypertensive patients and 138 normotensive subjects matched for age, gender and ethnicity. Plasma NT-proBNP levels were significantly (P<0.001), and several-fold higher among hypertensives (median 5.92, inter quartile range (IQR): 1.79-18.48 pmol/l) than normotensives (median 1.78, IQR: 0.59-4.32 pmol/l) in the total study population, and the same was true for the ethnic groups separately. Similarly, plasma levels of glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine, but not insulin, were significantly (P<0.05) higher among hypertensives than normotensives. For all subjects combined, log NT-proBNP correlated positively and significantly with age (P<0.01), log glucose (P<0.05), systolic blood pressure (SBP, P<0.001), log BUN (P<0.001) and log creatinine (P<0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that NT-proBNP levels were independently and positively correlated with SBP, age, gender, log BUN, Emirati and South East Asian ethnic groups and inversely associated with current exercise. In conclusion, we found circulating levels of NT-proBNP to be significantly increased in hypertensive versus normotensive subjects in the UAE and independently related to SBP, age, gender, indices of renal function and possibly exercise. Our results further suggest a possible modulating effect of ethnicity on NT-proBNP levels.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Al-Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
authors: A M
authors: AM
authors: Abdulle
authors: N J D
authors: NJ
authors: Nagelkerke
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Adem
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Abouchacra
authors: J Y
authors: JY
authors: Pathan
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Al-Rukhaimi
authors: M N
authors: MN
authors: Suleiman
authors: M C
authors: MC
authors: Mathew
authors: M G
authors: MG
authors: Nicholls
authors: E N
authors: EN
authors: Obineche
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000208:ethnology
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain