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Plasma N terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels and its determinants in a multi-ethnic population

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 21, pages 647–653 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

This study documents the determinants and plasma levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) among hypertensive and normotensive subjects in a multi-ethnic population in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We obtained demographic, anthropometric and clinical data, together with fasting NT-proBNP and biochemical indices from 128 hypertensive patients and 138 normotensive subjects matched for age, gender and ethnicity. Plasma NT-proBNP levels were significantly (P<0.001), and several-fold higher among hypertensives (median 5.92, inter quartile range (IQR): 1.79–18.48 pmol/l) than normotensives (median 1.78, IQR: 0.59–4.32 pmol/l) in the total study population, and the same was true for the ethnic groups separately. Similarly, plasma levels of glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine, but not insulin, were significantly (P<0.05) higher among hypertensives than normotensives. For all subjects combined, log NT-proBNP correlated positively and significantly with age (P<0.01), log glucose (P<0.05), systolic blood pressure (SBP, P<0.001), log BUN (P<0.001) and log creatinine (P<0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that NT-proBNP levels were independently and positively correlated with SBP, age, gender, log BUN, Emirati and South East Asian ethnic groups and inversely associated with current exercise. In conclusion, we found circulating levels of NT-proBNP to be significantly increased in hypertensive versus normotensive subjects in the UAE and independently related to SBP, age, gender, indices of renal function and possibly exercise. Our results further suggest a possible modulating effect of ethnicity on NT-proBNP levels.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge generous financial support from UAE University Research Affairs (Grant: 01.50.08-11/05), and the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Awards for Medical Sciences (Grant: MRG 18/1-2).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Al-Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE

    A M Abdulle, J Y Pathan & E N Obineche

  2. Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Al-Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE

    N J D Nagelkerke

  3. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Al-Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE

    A Adem

  4. Department of Nephrology, Tawam Hospital, Al-Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE

    S Abouchacra

  5. Department of Nephrology, Dubai Hospital, Dubai, UAE

    M Al-Rukhaimi & M N Suleiman

  6. Department of Nephrology, Al-Qasimi Hospital, Sharjah, UAE

    M C Mathew

  7. Department of Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand

    M G Nicholls

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  1. A M Abdulle
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  2. N J D Nagelkerke
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  3. A Adem
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  4. S Abouchacra
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  9. M G Nicholls
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  10. E N Obineche
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Correspondence to E N Obineche.

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Abdulle, A., Nagelkerke, N., Adem, A. et al. Plasma N terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels and its determinants in a multi-ethnic population. J Hum Hypertens 21, 647–653 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1002210

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