Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 63, Issue 3 1180-1184, Copyright © 1987 by American Physiological Society
Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide and cyclic nucleotide levels before and after a marathon
P. Lijnen, P. Hespel, J. R. M'Buyamba-Kabangu, M. Goris, R. Lysens, E. Vanden Eynde, R. Fagard and A. Amery
Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Plasma alpha-atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-ANP) concentration and
levels of cyclic nucleotides [guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP)
and adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)] were studied in 23 runners
before and after a marathon race. Blood samples were drawn from an
antecubital vein the morning before the race (base line), at 3 P.M. (i.e.,
2 h before the start), on arrival, and 12 and 36 h and 7 days later.
Compared with the base-line values of plasma alpha-ANP (5 pmol/l), cGMP
(3.8 nmol/l), and cAMP (15.8 nmol/l), the plasma levels of alpha-ANP, cGMP,
and cAMP were increased immediately after the marathon, respectively, to
12.0 pmol/l, 12.7 nmol/l, and 50.5 nmol/l. The increase in the plasma
alpha-ANP concentration was related (r = 0.85; P less than 0.001) to the
changes in plasma cGMP, plasma lactate, hematocrit, and body weight. The
plasma cGMP and cAMP concentrations had returned to the prerace levels 12 h
after the marathon, whereas the plasma alpha-ANP concentration was
significantly lower (3.1 pmol/l) than the base-line values and increased
above the prerace values 36 h (7.5 pmol/l) and 7 days (6.8 pmol/l) after
the marathon. The plasma cGMP level was also higher 36 h (5.4 nmol/l) and 7
days (5.0 nmol/l) after the marathon race.
