title: Association of N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide and impaired aortic elastic property in hypertensive patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is closely related to risk stratification in many cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of NT-proBNP and impaired aortic elastic property in hypertensive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred fifty-five hypertensive patients without obvious cardiac dysfunction were included and divided in tertiles based on their NT-proBNP concentration. Eighty-six normotensive healthy volunteers were also enrolled as controls. All subjects underwent Doppler echocardiography to assess cardiac parameters and aortic distensibility index. Plasma NT-proBNP was measured by electrochemiluminescence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The parameters of aortic elastic property were decreased and NT-proBNP was significantly increased in hypertensive patients compared with controls (all P<0.05). Among hypertensive patients, higher NT-proBNP tertiles were associated with larger systolic and diastolic aortic diameters, longer deceleration time of the E wave velocity (DT) and isovolumic relaxation time; decreased E/A ratio and more percent of diastolic dysfunction. The parameters of aortic elastic property showed stepwise decreases from the first tertiles to the third tertiles (P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that concentrations of NT-proBNP were significantly correlated with age and impaired aortic distensibility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NT-proBNP is a marker for impaired aortic elastic property in hypertensive patients. Measurement of NT-proBNP could be indicated in hypertensive patients for further risk stratification.
authors: Department of Cardiology, the First People's Hospital of Shunde, Foshan, PR China.
authors: Yuli
authors: Y
authors: Huang
authors: Yuanbin
authors: Y
authors: Song
authors: Weiyi
authors: W
authors: Mai
authors: Yunzhao
authors: Y
authors: Hu
authors: Xiaoyan
authors: X
authors: Cai
authors: Yanxian
authors: Y
authors: Wu
authors: Ruofeng
authors: R
authors: Qiu
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Kuang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain