This study sought to investigate the relationship between myocardial perfusion and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in asymptomatic individuals without overt coronary artery disease. overt cardiovascular disease. MPR was modeled as hyperemic myocardial blood Silicristin flow (MBF) adjusted for resting MBF. A linear regression analysis adjusted for demographics established cardiovascular risk factors left ventricular mass coronary calcium score body mass index and medications was used to determine the association between MPR and NT-proBNP. Individuals with low hyperemic MBF were more likely to be older male diabetic have higher blood pressure and higher coronary artery calcium score. Mean hyperemic MBF was 3.04 ± 0.829 ml/min/g. MPR was inversely associated with NT-proBNP levels. In a fully adjusted model every one standard deviation decrement in MPR was associated with a 21 % increment in NT-proBNP (p=0.04). In conclusion MPR is definitely inversely associated with NT-proBNP level with this mix sectional study of asymptomatic individuals free of overt coronary artery disease suggesting that higher NT-proBNP levels may reflect subclinical myocardial microvascular dysfunction. Keywords: myocardial perfusion myocardial blood flow NT-pro-BNP Introduction To Silicristin our knowledge the relationship between N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) among asymptomatic Silicristin individuals without overt cardiovascular disease has not been described. These findings will become useful in understanding the effect of impaired microvascular structure on neurohormonal levels and may help clarify the prognostic implications of elevated BNP in asymptomatic individuals. We hypothesized that MPR would be inversely related to serum NT-proBNP level among participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Methods MESA is definitely a prospective multicenter cohort study targeted to determine characteristics related to progression of subclinical to medical cardiovascular disease. Info concerning the design and scope of the study has been published previously1. At baseline MESA participants were 45-84 years old and experienced no prior history or coronary artery disease. Inside a MESA ancillary study all Minnesota participants (N=1 66 were contacted immediately following the baseline medical center exam or later on by mail inside a recruitment effort to obtain MR perfusion studies. A total of 234 participants consented to and underwent CMR perfusion studies in the Minnesota field center. Participants were excluded if they had any of the following: prevalent cardiovascular disease at baseline (n=1) missing major perfusion measurements (resting or hyperemic myocardial blood flow or perfusion percentage n= 5) caffeine intake within 12 hours before the CMR scanning (n=7) missing NT-proBNP measurements (n=20) or missing some other covariate info (n=17). After exclusions 184 participants were included in Rabbit Polyclonal to Pim-1 (phospho-Tyr309). the final analysis. CMR studies were performed on a 1.5T medical MRI scanner (Sonata 1.5T Siemens Medical Systems Malvern PA). The Silicristin protocol used has been described in earlier publications2. Briefly IV access was acquired and the patient was situated supine. Vital indications and an electrocardiogram were monitored throughout the examination. Scout MR images were acquired to determine the orientation of the short and long axis of the remaining ventricle. T1 weighted imaging with a fast gradient echo sequence was used to track the first pass on an injected contrast agent through the right and remaining ventricle. The 1st perfusion scan was performed during rest and the second was performed approximately 15 minutes later on during maximal vasodilation induced by 0.14 mg/kg/min of IV adenosine injected over three minutes before the check out. Myocardial blood flow (MBF) was estimated before and after adenosine infusion in eight segments: anterior anterolateral posterolateral posteroinferior substandard and posterior/mid and anterior septum. Region-of-interest transmission intensity (SI) curves were generated with the MASS CMR image analysis software (Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Image Processing Leiden University or college Leiden the Netherlands). MBF.