Gupta DK, et al. - In view of the observation that natriuretic peptides, cardiac-derived hormones, elevate insulin sensitivity and decrease fat accumulation and their association with heightened risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2); a condition with variable prevalence across racial/ethnic groups, researchers sought to determine if race/ethnicity influence circulating natriuretic peptide levels and their response to preventive interventions for DM2. In the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), a clinical trial (July 31, 1996- July 31, 2001), participants were randomized to preventive interventions for DM2. They used stored serum samples for N-terminus pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels in 3,220 individuals (56% white; 19% African-American; 15% Hispanic; 5% American-Indian; 5% Asian). At baseline, significant differences were observed in NT-proBNP by race, with the lowest values in African-American individuals. Hispanic vs white individuals had lower baseline NT-proBNP levels, while similar NT-proBNP levels were observed between white, American-Indian, and Asian individuals. In each of the DPP study arms, African-Americans showed decreased NT-proBNP levels at 2 years of follow-up, whereas the levels were stable or increased in the other racial/ethnic groups. In the DPP, African-American individuals vs individuals in other racial/ethnic groups had lower circulating NT-proBNP levels at baseline as well as after two years of preventive interventions.