title: Correlates of NT-proBNP concentration in patients with essential hypertension in absence of congestive heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) is widely used as a diagnostic biomarker and for the risk stratification of patients with heart failure (HF). Its role in the evaluation of patients with essential hypertension (EHT) is less clear. We examined the relationship between NT-proBNP concentrations and various clinical characteristics in hypertensive patients without HF.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 186 consecutive patients with EHT and no history of HF, ischemic heart disease, or atrial fibrillation. Single and multiple variable regression analyses were performed in search of clinical correlates of NT-proBNP concentrations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In patients with EHT, median serum concentration of NT-proBNP was 73 pg/ml, and interquartile range (IQR) was 40-128 pg/ml. NT-proBNP was significantly higher (P<0.001) in women (87 pg/ml; IQR 55-137 pg/ml) than in men (52 pg/ml; IQR 24-115 pg/ml). Age (r=0.371, P<0.001), precordial QRS voltage (r=0.223, P<0.001), hemoglobin (Hgb) concentration, (r=-0.208, P=0.023) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (r=-0.139, P=0.044) were correlated with log-transformed NT-proBNP by multiple variable analysis. In men, age (r=0.453, P<0.001) and QRS voltage (r=0.283, P=0.004), and in women age (r=0.299, P=0.006), QRS voltage (r=0.212, P=0.019), Hgb (r=-0.182, P=0.049), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (r=-0.272, P=0.009) were correlated with serum concentrations of NT-proBNP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age, gender, Hgb, left ventricular hypertrophy and renal function were correlated with NT-proBNP in patients with EHT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hyogo Prefecture Amagasaki Hospital, Hyogo, Japan. amag_scgisi_02@pref.hyogo.lg.jp
authors.forename: Keizo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toda
authors.forename: Yukihito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Kenro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hijiya
authors.forename: Ryutaro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Tatuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takatsu
authors.forename: Hisayoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain