Impact of Obesity on Plasma Natriuretic Peptide Levels

Top Cited Papers
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Background— The mechanisms linking obesity to hypertension have not been established, but sodium retention and excessive sympathetic tone are key contributors. The natriuretic peptides are important regulators of sodium homeostasis and neurohormonal activation, raising the possibility that obese individuals have an impaired natriuretic peptide response. Methods and Results— We examined the relations of plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal proatrial natriuretic peptide (N-ANP) to body mass index in 3389 Framingham Study participants (1803 women) without heart failure. Multivariable regression analyses were performed, adjusting for clinical and echocardiographic covariates. BNP levels below the assay detection limit and N-ANP levels in the lowest sex-specific quartile were categorized as low. Multivariable-adjusted mean plasma BNP levels in lean (2 ), overweight (25 to 29.9 kg/m 2 ), and obese (≥30 kg/m 2 ) men were 21.4, 15.5, and 12.7 pg/mL, respectively (trend P P Conclusions— Obese individuals have low circulating natriuretic peptide levels, which may contribute to their susceptibility to hypertension and hypertension-related disorders.