SHORT REPORTS

Exercise-induced increases in NT-proBNP are not related to the exercise-induced immune response

J Scharhag¹, T Meyer^1,3, M Auracher¹, M Müller², M Herrmann^1,2, H Gabriel⁴, W Herrmann², W Kindermann¹

¹ Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine, University of Saarland, Saarbrücken, Gemany
² Department of Clinical Chemistry/Central Laboratory, University of Saarland, Saarbrücken/Homburg, Germany
³ Institute of Sports Medicine, University of Paderborn, Germany
⁴ Department of Sports Medicine, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany

Dr J Scharhag, Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine, Campus, Building B 8.2, University of Saarland, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany; j.scharhag{at}mx.uni-saarland.de

Objective: To investigate if the exercise-induced immune response contributes to the exercise-induced increase in brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in healthy athletes. This has previously been speculated, as elevated concentrations of BNP or N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in cardiovascular patients were found to be related to immune reactions and elevations in inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 6 (IL-6).

Methods: Stored serum samples were analysed for NT-proBNP concentrations of 14 healthy endurance athletes (mean age: 25 (SD 5) years; VO_2peak 67 (SD 6) ml/min/kg), who had been examined previously for exercise-induced immune reactions and their dependence on carbohydrate supplementation (6 or 12% carbohydrate vs placebo beverages) after three bouts of 4 h cycling at a given workload of 70% of the individual anaerobic threshold. Venous blood samples were taken before, immediately after, and 1 h and 1 day after exercise. Leucocyte subpopulations were determined immediately after blood sampling by flow cytometry. Serum samples for posterior analysis of C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6, cortisol and NT-proBNP were stored at –80°C.

Results: The exercise-induced increases in NT-proBNP (p<0.001) were not related to the exercise-induced immune response, although exercise induced marked (CHOS-dependent) increases in IL-6, CRP, cortisol, leucocytes, neutrophils, monocytes and natural killer cells.

Conclusion: It is unlikely that the exercise-induced increases in NT-proBNP or BNP in healthy athletes are caused by the exercise-induced immune response. Therefore, exercise-induced increases in NT-proBNP or BNP in healthy athletes have to be differentiated from increases in cardiovascular patients with systemic inflammation.

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