title: Plasma levels of atrial and brain natriuretic peptides in apparently healthy subjects: Effects of sex, age, and hemoglobin concentration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To examine whether the use of one value of natriuretic peptides to define "normal" is appropriate in all individuals, and to assess the influence of sex, age, and other variables on atrial and brain natriuretic peptides (ANP, BNP) levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1375 apparently healthy people (women:155, men:1220), aged 18-70years were enrolled. Both ANP and BNP levels were higher in women than in men (ANP: 12.50±6.82pg/mL vs 8.18±4.19pg/mL; BNP: 9.85±7.63pg/mL vs 7.03±6.97pg/mL). The subjects were divided into three age groups: group I, 18-30years; group II, 30-50years; group III, 50-70years. First, the influence of age on ANP and BNP levels was examined. In women, both ANP and BNP levels were higher in groups II and III than those in group I. In men, ANP and BNP levels increased with age. Second, sex differences in ANP and BNP levels due to age were examined. ANP level was higher in women than that in men in all age groups. BNP level was higher in women than that in men in groups I and II. Multivariate analysis indicated that both ANP and BNP levels were influenced by age, hemoglobin level, and platelet counts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because ANP and BNP levels in healthy subjects are influenced by sex, age, and hemoglobin levels, the use of a single value to define "normal" in all individuals is not appropriate.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Uwajima City Hospital, and the Former Industrial Doctor of Matsuyama Branch of Shikoku Electric Power Company, 1-1, Goten-machi, Uwajima, Ehime 798-8510, Japan. Electronic address: mareomi.hamada@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mareomi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.affiliation: Fundamental and Clinical Nursing, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, and the Industrial Doctor of Matsuyama Branch of Shikoku Electric Power Company, Shitsukawa, Toon, Ehime 791-0295, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shigematsu
authors.affiliation: Industrial Doctor of Ehime Factory of Toray Industries, Inc., and the Former Industrial Doctor of Daio Paper Corporation, 1515, Tsutsui, Masaki-machi, Iyo-gun, Ehime 791-3193, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takezaki
authors.affiliation: Division of cardiology, Department of Integrated Medicine and Informatics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Shitsukawa, Toon, Ehime 791-0295, Japan.
authors.forename: Shuntaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Uwajima City Hospital, 1-1, Goten-machi, Uwajima, Ehime 798-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiyoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogimoto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006454:Hemoglobins; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor
keywords: ANP; Aging; BNP; Healthy subjects; Hemoglobin; Sex