title: Association between chronic hepatitis C virus infection and high levels of circulating N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide.
abstract: The association between HCV infection and myocardial disorders remains unclear. This study aimed to assess whether or not HCV infection influences myocardial dysfunction by the use of NT-proBNP, a sensitive marker of myocardial dysfunction. A total of 198 participants [99 patients with chronic HCV infection (aged 46-68 years) and 99 anti-HCV-negative sex and age matched controls] were examined. Serum HCV-RNA level and HCV genotype were tested and liver biopsy was done only for the patient group. The NT-proBNP concentration of the HCV patients (mean 71.6 ± 79.1 pg/ml; median 46.0 pg/ml, range 5.0-400.0) was significantly higher than that of the controls (mean 39.8 ± 24.4 pg/ml; median 35.8 pg/ml, range 7.0-108.0) (P < 0.05). 20.0 % of the HCV patients and 0.6 % of the controls had high NT-proBNP (higher than 125 pg/ml; the single cut off point for patients under 75 years of age) (P < 0.05). Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that chronic HCV infection was independently correlated with NT-proBNP level after adjustment for parameters that might influence NT-proBNP (P = 0.005). Our data suggest that chronic HCV infection is associated with increased NT-proBNP, indicating that chronic HCV infection might induce myocardial dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Maidashi, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan. okyouko@gim.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Norihiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Furusyo
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikezaki
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ihara
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Mosaburo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kainuma
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hayashi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058889:Molecular Typing; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000209:etiology*; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015854:Up-Regulation; D018754:Ventricular Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012367:RNA, Viral; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain