Obese and nonobese patients with essential hypertension show similar N-terminal proBNP plasma levels.
BACKGROUND
Multiple studies have focused on the influence of obesity on natriuretic peptide levels. However, the effect of obesity on amino-terminal propeptide of B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels in hypertensive (HT) patients remains uncertain.


METHODS
We studied 252 asymptomatic patients (60 +/- 13 years, 136 men) with essential HT. A routine physical examination, anthropometry, laboratory analyses, echo-Doppler study, and NT-proBNP level determination were performed.


RESULTS
NT-proBNP levels were similar in both obese and nonobese HT (median 56 (25-130) pg/ml vs. median 51 (26-129) pg/ml, P = 0.488). No significant differences were found in obese or nonobese patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) (median 135 (73-425) pg/ml vs. median 151 (64-274) pg/ml, P = 0.597). The area under the curve was 0.89 +/- 0.03 for NT-proBNP to diagnose LVH in the obese HT patients and 0.88 +/- 0.03 in the nonobese. A logistic regression analysis showed that age, gender, and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were independent predictors of NT-proBNP levels. Body mass index (BMI) was not significantly associated with NT-proBNP in LVH HT patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Obesity is not statistically associated with NT-proBNP levels in HT asymptomatic patients. The same results were observed in our group of patients with LVH. These data are in contrast with those previously found in heart failure, and raise questions about the role of obesity per se as primary cause of decreased NT-proBNP levels in other pathophysiological conditions.
Cortés
Raquel
R
Cardiocirculatory Unit, Research Center, Hospital Universitario La Fe, Valencia, Spain.
Otero
Miguel R
MR
Morillas
Pedro
P
Roselló-Lletí
Esther
E
Grigorian
Lilian
L
Martínez-Dolz
Luís
L
de Burgos
Fernando G
FG
Calabuig
Jose R
JR
Soria
Federico
F
Lozano
Teresa
T
Portolés
Manuel
M
Bertomeu
Vicente
V
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain