The following is a summary of “Insulin Resistance and N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Among Healthy Adults,” published in the September 2023 issue of Cardiology by Echouffo-Tcheugui et al. 

For a study, researchers utilized the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2004) data to understand the link between insulin resistance and NT-proBNP in US adults aged 20 years or older. They examined various measures, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, fat mass, lean mass, and other factors. They used linear and logistic regression to analyze associations while considering cardiovascular risk factors. They also assessed insulin sensitivity using different indices. This analysis occurred between August 10, 2022, and June 30, 2023.

The study involved 4,038 adults without diabetes or heart disease (mean age 44 years; 51.2% female; 74.3% White), and researchers found a link between insulin resistance measures and NT-pro-BNP. Their findings revealed that higher insulin resistance correlated inversely with NT-pro-BNP levels in both sexes. After adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors, BMI, waist circumference, and DEXA-derived fat and lean mass, an SD increase in HOMA-IR was associated with a decrease of around 16.84% in NT-proBNP in women (95% CI, −21.23% to −12.21%) and 19.04% in men (95% CI, −24.14 to −13.59). 

They observed similar associations with other insulin resistance indices, such as QUICKI, TyG index, IGR, fasting insulin, and HOMA-β. These findings suggest a notable relationship between insulin resistance and NT-pro-BNP in both sexes.

The study revealed that insulin resistance showed a reverse relationship with NT-proBNP levels, even after considering various fat and lean mass measurements. These findings indicate that the connection between NT-proBNP and insulin resistance might be partly unrelated to excess body fat and could be linked to higher insulin levels.

Source: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2809259