title: Athlete's heart or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: usefulness of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Distinguishing physiological hypertrophy from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in athletes remains difficult, but vital in view of the risk of sudden death under effort. NT-proBNP was previously reported to be usually normal in healthy athletes, but often elevated in case of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the interest of NT-proBNP in differential diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy in athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  NT-proBNP levels were measured at rest and after effort in trained athletes referred for suspectedly abnormal (>or=13 mm) left ventricular hypertrophy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  17 patients were included, 10 of whom were diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (group I) while the other 7 presented typical signs of athlete's heart (group II). NT-proBNP levels did not significantly differ between groups, whether at rest or after effort. NT-proBNP levels were, however, significantly elevated in 3 subjects in group I, while being consistently normal in group II.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In active athletes presenting with ambiguous left ventricular hypertrophy, abnormal NT-proBNP levels indicate hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, whereas normal values are inconclusive.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Godon
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Griffet
authors.forename: Ulric
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Vinsonneau
authors.forename: Jean Raymond
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Caignault
authors.forename: Jean Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Prevosto
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quiniou
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guerard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011498:Protein Precursors; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain