title: Does cardiac morphology predict plasma brain natriuretic Peptide levels in adolescent athletes?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to establish the relationship of plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) to physiologic parameters and cardiac morphologic characteristics in a population of young athletes. Our hypothesis is that physiologic and cardiac morphologic characteristics do not predict BNP levels in adolescent athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty healthy male adolescent high school football players (16.0 +/- 1.1 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Physical exam, electrocardiography, plasma BNP measurement by rapid fluorescent immunoassay, and limited echocardiography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Null hypothesis-physiologic parameters and cardiac morphology do not predict plasma BNP levels in healthy adolescent football players. Significance level set at P < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma BNP for this population was 11.9 +/- 10.2 pg/mL. There was no correlation between BNP and mean arterial pressure (r = -0.09, P = 0.64), body mass index (r = 0.11, P = 0.57), interventricular septal thickness (r = -0.15, P = 0.44), left ventricular (LV) wall thickness (r = 0.00, P = 0.99), relative wall thickness (r = -0.04, P = 0.84), LV mass (r = 0.05, P = 0.79), or LV mass index (r = 0.11, P = 0.55).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma BNP levels in healthy adolescent athletes have no correlation to body mass index or LV mass, even when corrected for body surface area.
authors.affiliation: Intermountain Orthopaedics, Boise, Idaho 83702, USA. mdrezman@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Kurt J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Womack
authors.forename: Ronald P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.forename: Chad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DeBeliso
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D000293:Adolescent; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005538:Football / Q000502:physiology; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain