These results suggest that plasma BNP determination provides important, independent prognostic information after AMI. Although plasma ANP appears to be a better predictor of left ventricular dysfunction, plasma BNP may have greater potential to complement standard prognostic indicators used in risk stratification after AMI because of its strong, independent association with long-term survival, enhanced in vitro stability, and simplicity of analysis.

A coherent pattern of behavioral and neuroendocrine characteristics was found in subjects with NES.

Objective: To study whether lifestyle factors and/or chronic disease are associated with the age-related decline of total and free testosterone in men, or if these factors might be associated with the variation of total and free testosterone but not with their age-related decline. Design: A population-based, cross-sectional study was used. Methods: Total testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels were analyzed and free testosterone levels were calculated in 1563 men participating in the Tromsø study in 1994/1995. Anthropometric characteristics were also measured and two standardized questionnaires completed, including lifestyle factors and medical history. The data were analyzed with multiple linear regression analysis of covariance, and logistic regression. Results: Total and free testosterone were inversely associated (P ¼ 0.001 and P , 0.001), while SHBG was positively associated (P , 0.001) with age. Body mass index (BMI) was inversely associated with total (P , 0.001) and free (P ¼ 0.016) testosterone and SHBG (P , 0.001). Both total and free testosterone were positively associated with tobacco consumption (P , 0.001 and P ¼ 0.004) and total testosterone was positively associated with coffee consumption (P , 0.001). SHBG was positively associated with smoking (P ¼ 0.004) and coffee consumption (P , 0.001). Men who reported having had a stroke or having a cancer diagnosis had lower levels of total testosterone (P , 0.001 and P , 0.01) and free testosterone (P , 0.01). Conclusions: BMI and smoking are independent contributors to the variation of total and free testosterone and SHBG levels, and coffee consumption to the variation of total testosterone and SHBG. Thus, lifestyle factors can have a direct effect on circulating levels of free endogenous sex hormones and to total levels due to the effect on SHBG levels.

Objective: To investigate whether there is an association between serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) within the normal range and body mass index (BMI). Design and subjects: The study was performed in 6164 subjects (2813 males) who attended the fifth Tromsø study in 2001, and in 1867 subjects (873 males) that attended both the fourth Tromsø study in 1994/1995 as well as the fifth Tromsø study. Measurements: Height, weight, and serum TSH were measured in all subjects, and smoking status was recorded. Results: Smokers and nonsmokers were analyzed separately. In the fifth Tromsø study, serum TSH was positively and significantly associated with BMI in the nonsmokers. Within the normal TSH range (defined as the 2.5-97.5 percentile), nonsmoking males in the highest TSH quartile had a mean BMI 0.4 kg/m 2 higher compared to those in the lower quartile, whereas the difference for nonsmoking women was 1.4 kg/m 2 . Similarly, in nonsmokers in the longitudinal study, there was a significant and positive association between delta serum TSH (serum TSH in 2001 minus serum TSH in 1994) and delta BMI in those with serum TSH within the normal range both in 1994 and 2001. In these subjects, the quartile with the highest delta serum TSH had a mean increase in BMI from 1994 to 2001 that was 0.3 kg/m 2 higher compared to those in the quartile with the lowest delta serum TSH. For the smokers, relations between serum TSH and BMI were not statistically significant. Conclusion: In nonsmokers there is a positive association between serum TSH within the normal range and BMI.

In subjects with SHT where the serum TSH level is in the 3.5-10.0 mIU/liter range, there is no neuropsychological dysfunction, and compared with healthy controls, there is no difference in symptoms related to hypothyroidism.