Plasma NT‐proBNP concentration is related to ambulatory pulse pressure in peripheral arterial disease

Background. Increased levels of N‐terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) are associated with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), but the relation of NT‐proBNP to ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) and hypertensive target organ damage in high‐risk patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) has not been studied. We hypothesized that NT‐proBNP levels were increased in patients with PAD in comparison to a matched control group and that levels of NT‐proBNP were related to ABP. Methods. Blood samples were analysed for NT‐proBNP in 103 males with PAD and 96 age‐ and sex‐matched controls. Ninety‐eight PAD patients performed ABP monitoring and 99 underwent Tc‐99m Sestamibi myocardial perfusion SPECT. Results. NT‐proBNP was significantly increased in PAD patients compared with controls [median (interquartiles)] 167(76, 418) vs 68(38, 142) pg/ml, p<0.001. Plasma levels of NT‐proBNP correlated positively to systolic blood pressure (SBP), pulse pressure (PP),...