Plasma brain natriuretic peptide levels in normotensive noninsulin-dependent diabetic patients with microalbuminuria.

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a member of the natriuretic peptide family, is produced and released from cardiac ventricles. BNP regulates the body fluid volume, blood pressure, and vascular tones through the A-type guanylate cyclase-coupled receptor. The presence of renal dysfunction in patients with diabetes affects the plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). In the present study, we investigated the plasma levels of BNP and ANP and their relationship in normotensive diabetic patients with normoalbuminuria and microalbuminuria. Forty-seven normotensive lean noninsulin-dependent diabetic patients (31 with normoalbuminuria, 16 with microalbuminuria), with normal cardiac function, and 30 age-matched control subjects were enrolled in this study. The plasma levels of BNP in diabetic patients with microalbuminuria were significantly higher than those in diabetic patients with normoalbuminuria (16.7 ± 2.4 vs. 9.6 ± 1.3 pg/mL, P < 0.01) or normal subjects (16.7 ± 2.4 vs. 7.0 ± 0.6 pg/mL, P < 0.01)....