title: Anemia as a factor that elevates plasma brain natriuretic peptide concentration in apparently healthy subjects.
abstract: Plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is widely used as a biomarker of heart failure (HF); however, its concentration is often found to be high even in apparently healthy subjects and little is known about which factors contribute to physiological change in plasma BNP concentration in subjects without HF. We examined the effects of gender, age, and anemia on plasma BNP concentration in apparently healthy subjects. The study population consisted of 1036 healthy subjects who underwent an annual health examination at their company in 2005. There were 874 women, ranging in age from 30 to 63 years (mean, 41 years). Plasma BNP concentration was abnormal (> 18.4 pg/mL) in 292 subjects. The incidence was significantly higher in women than in men (31% versus 14%, P < 0.01). Mean plasma BNP concentration was higher in women than in men. The difference in plasma BNP concentration was associated with the difference in blood hemoglobin and age. Logarithmically transformed BNP concentration correlated inversely with blood hemoglobin (r = -0.30, P < 0.01 for all; r = -0.21, P < 0.01 for women; r = -0.20, P < 0.01 for men). By multiple regression analysis, logarithmically transformed BNP concentration correlated with hemoglobin, age, and gender. In conclusion, anemia is likely a critical determinant that elevates plasma BNP concentration in apparently healthy subjects.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsujino
authors.forename: Yoshiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee-Kawabata
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ezumi
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mano
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masuyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013318:Stroke Volume
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain