Sulfonylurea therapy is associated with increased NT-proBNP levels in the treatment of type 2 diabetes

Background We sought to determine N-terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NTproBNP) levels among a population of individuals with type 2 diabetes, and to correlate these levels with diabetes medications and patient demographics. Methods We analyzed data from 506 patients with type 2 diabetes. We compared NT-proBNP levels of these patients with those from the general population. We also sought to determine whether patientsʹ NT-proBNP levels were correlated with diabetes medications, age, gender, creatinine, hemoglobin A1C levels, BMI, blood pressure, and lipid levels. Results Increasing doses of sulfonylureas were associated with increasing levels of NT-proBNP. However, patients on combined sulfonylurea and metformin therapy had lower NT-proBNP levels than those on sulfonylureas alone. Neither thiazolidinediones nor insulin were associated with NT-proBNP levels. The majority of patients with type 2 diabetes had similar NT-proBNP levels compared to a reference group from the general population. In no age category did NT-proBNP levels differ significantly between men and women. Levels of NT-proBNP were positively associated with age (p < 0.0001), systolic blood pressure (p < 0.01) and creatinine levels (p < 0.0001), and negatively associated with diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.001). Levels of NT-proBNP were not associated with A1C, BMI, triglycerides, and high density lipoprotein (p = NS). Conclusions Levels of NT-proBNP are associated with increasing sulfonylurea dosage, age, blood pressure, and creatinine levels. There is unlikely to be clinically significant differences in NT-proBNP levels between patients with type 2 diabetes and a normal population.