TY - JOUR
T1 - Independent elevations of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and cardiac troponins in endurance athletes after prolonged strenuous exercise
AU - Scharhag, Jürgen
AU - Herrmann, Markus
AU - Urhausen, Axel
AU - Haschke, Michaela
AU - Herrmann, Wolfgang
AU - Kindermann, Wilfried
N1 - Funding Information:
The study was supported by a grant of the National Institute for Sports Sciences (Bundesinstitut für Sportwissenschaft: VF 0407/01/32/2002-2003), Bonn, Germany.
PY - 2005/12
Y1 - 2005/12
N2 - Background: Although elevated resting brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentrations reflect heart disease, the meaning of exercise-induced increases is poorly understood and has been examined in small groups only. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the increase in N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and relations to cardiac troponin I and T (cTnI, cTnT) elevations after prolonged strenuous exercise in a large cohort of athletes. Methods: We examined exercise-induced changes in NT-proBNP, cTnI, and cTnT in 105 obviously healthy endurance athletes (40 ± 8 years) before and after prolonged strenuous exercise. Blood samples were taken before, 15 minutes, and 3 hours after a marathon (n = 46), a 100-km run (n = 14), and a mountain bike marathon (n = 45). Results: Eighty-one of 105 athletes exceeded the upper reference limit of NT-proBNP (males/females 88:153 ng/L) after exercise. NT-proBNP increased in all 3 events (P < .001) with the highest increase in the 100-km runners (median increase 200 ng/L; 25th/75th percentile 115/770 ng/L), which differed from the increase in the marathon (97 ng/L; 36/254 ng/L) or the mountain bike marathon (78 ng/L; 37/196 ng/L) (P < .01). Cardiac troponin I exceeded 0.04 μg/L in 74%; cTnT exceeded 0.01 μg/L in 47% of athletes after exercise. NT-proBNP was not related to exercise-induced increases in cTnI or cTnT, but correlated with exercise time (r = 0.55, P < .001). Conclusions: Increases in NT-proBNP can be found in a major part of obviously healthy athletes after prolonged strenuous exercise. The release of BNP during and after exercise may not result from myocardial damage but may have cytoprotective and growth-regulating effects. The different nature of exercise-induced increases in BNP and cardiac troponins has to be elucidated in the future.
AB - Background: Although elevated resting brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentrations reflect heart disease, the meaning of exercise-induced increases is poorly understood and has been examined in small groups only. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the increase in N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and relations to cardiac troponin I and T (cTnI, cTnT) elevations after prolonged strenuous exercise in a large cohort of athletes. Methods: We examined exercise-induced changes in NT-proBNP, cTnI, and cTnT in 105 obviously healthy endurance athletes (40 ± 8 years) before and after prolonged strenuous exercise. Blood samples were taken before, 15 minutes, and 3 hours after a marathon (n = 46), a 100-km run (n = 14), and a mountain bike marathon (n = 45). Results: Eighty-one of 105 athletes exceeded the upper reference limit of NT-proBNP (males/females 88:153 ng/L) after exercise. NT-proBNP increased in all 3 events (P < .001) with the highest increase in the 100-km runners (median increase 200 ng/L; 25th/75th percentile 115/770 ng/L), which differed from the increase in the marathon (97 ng/L; 36/254 ng/L) or the mountain bike marathon (78 ng/L; 37/196 ng/L) (P < .01). Cardiac troponin I exceeded 0.04 μg/L in 74%; cTnT exceeded 0.01 μg/L in 47% of athletes after exercise. NT-proBNP was not related to exercise-induced increases in cTnI or cTnT, but correlated with exercise time (r = 0.55, P < .001). Conclusions: Increases in NT-proBNP can be found in a major part of obviously healthy athletes after prolonged strenuous exercise. The release of BNP during and after exercise may not result from myocardial damage but may have cytoprotective and growth-regulating effects. The different nature of exercise-induced increases in BNP and cardiac troponins has to be elucidated in the future.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=28844477588&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ahj.2005.01.051
DO - 10.1016/j.ahj.2005.01.051
M3 - Article
C2 - 16338248
AN - SCOPUS:28844477588
SN - 0002-8703
VL - 150
SP - 1128
EP - 1134
JO - American Heart Journal
JF - American Heart Journal
IS - 6
ER -