title: Impact of body mass index on plasma N-terminal ProB-type natriuretic peptides in Chinese atrial fibrillation patients without heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An inverse relationship between body mass index (BMI) and circulating levels of N-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has been demonstrated in subjects with and without heart failure. Obesity also has been linked with increased incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF), but its influence on NT-proBNP concentrations in AF patients remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of BMI on NT-proBNP levels in AF patients without heart failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 239 consecutive patients with AF undergoing catheter ablation were evaluated. Levels of NT-proBNP and clinical characteristics were compared in overweight or obese (BMI≥25 kg/m2) and normal weight (BMI<25 kg/m2) patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 239 patients, 129 (54%) were overweight or obese. Overweight or obese patients were younger, more likely to have a history of nonparoxysmal AF, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. Levels of NT-proBNP were significantly lower in overweight or obese than in normal weight subjects (P<0.05). The relationship of obesity and decreased NT-proBNP levels persisted in subgroup of hypertension, both gender and both age levels (≥65 yrs and <65 yrs).Multivariate linear regression identified BMI as an independent negative correlate of LogNT-proBNP level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An inverse relationship between BMI and plasma NT-proBNP concentrations have been demonstrated in AF patients without heart failure. Overweight or obese patients with AF appear to have lower NT-proBNP levels than normal weight patients.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Clinical EP Lab & Arrhythmia Center, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Li-hui
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Clinical EP Lab & Arrhythmia Center, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ling-min
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Clinical EP Lab & Arrhythmia Center, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Clinical EP Lab & Arrhythmia Center, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wen-sheng
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Clinical EP Lab & Arrhythmia Center, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jing-ru
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Clinical EP Lab & Arrhythmia Center, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Clinical EP Lab & Arrhythmia Center, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Clinical EP Lab & Arrhythmia Center, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Kui-jun
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Clinical EP Lab & Arrhythmia Center, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain