No difference in N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentrations between endurance athletes with athlete's heart and healthy untrained controls

Abstract

In contrast to atrial natriuretic peptide, which refers to atrial stretch, BNP refers to ventricular strain. Synthesised by cardiomyocytes in response to ventricular overload and elevated myocardial wall stress,² resting concentrations of BNP and its cleaved precursor peptide N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP) have become useful markers to assess cardiac dysfunction, chronic heart failure, and left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy caused by hypertension or cardiomyopathy. In British Army recruits an association between the increase in LV mass and elevated resting BNP concentrations after a 10 week training period was demonstrated by Montgomery and colleagues³ However, in another study, BNP concentrations did not correlate with echocardiographically determined LV mass in a small group of eight cyclists with athlete’s heart.⁴