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Endocrine Abstracts (2012) 28 P216

1Army Medical Directorate, Defence Medical Services, Camberley, United Kingdom; 2Newcastle and Northumbria NHS Trusts, Royal Victoria Infirmary and Wansbeck General Hospitals, Newcastle, United Kingdom; 3Defence Medical Services, DMS, Whittington, United Kingdom; 4Cardiology, Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Poole, United Kingdom; 5Department of Academic Emergency Medicine, James Cook University Hospital, Middlesborough, United Kingdom; 6University of Newcastle, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom; 7Centre of Aviation Medicine, RAF Henlow, Henlow, United Kingdom.


We have previously reported that exercise at high altitude (HA) led to a significant increase in brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels. In contrast two other publications have reported no change in resting BNP at HA. We therefore measured BNP and Lake Louise (LL) Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) scores in a further 20 subjects at rest in Kathmandu (Kat; 1300 m); and following exercise and at rest at 4270 m and 5150 m. Compared with the baseline BNP level at Kat (9.2+/−2 pg/ml, range 5–35 pg/ml) there was significant increase in BNP at 4270 m on arrival after exercise (16.6+/−4 pg/ml, P=0.008, range 5–56 pg/ml) and the next morning at rest (28.9+/−9 pg/ml, P=0.004, range 5–101 pg/ml). At 5150, immediately following ascent/descent to Kala Patthar (5643 m) BNP was 32.3+/−8.8 pg/ml (P=0.003, range 5–95.6 pg/ml) post-exercise and 33.3+/−9.7 pg/ml at rest (P=0.008, range 5–123 pg/ml). At 5150 m BNP levels were significantly higher among the four subjects with severe (LL score>6) AMS (58.4+/−18.7 pg/ml) compared to those without (BNP 22.7+/−8.6 pg/ml, P=0.048). There were significant correlations between change in body water from baseline to 5150 m and BNP at 5150 m (rho 0.78, P=0.001). In conclusion these data provide evidence for a rise in BNP at HA and report the novel finding that BNP is significantly greater in those with severe AMS at 5150 m. The mechanism underlying the rise in BNP may be related to fluid retention.

Declaration of interest: There is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported.

Funding: No specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.

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