The echocardiographic measures and plasma concentrations of either atrial 
natriuretic peptide (ANP) or brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were compared in 
elite judo practitioners (static athletes), elite marathon runners (dynamic 
athletes) and healthy controls to investigate the relationship between the 
different types of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and plasma concentrations 
of natriuretic peptides in athletes. The LV mass and LV wall thickness of 
marathon runners and judo practitioners were significantly greater than those of 
controls. The LV end-diastolic dimension index was significantly larger in the 
marathon group, but smaller in the judo group. The left atrial dimension (LAD) 
index was significantly larger only in marathon runners. Plasma BNP 
concentrations were higher in both the judo and marathon groups than in 
controls, and positively correlated with LV mass as well as with deceleration 
time. Plasma ANP concentrations were significantly higher in marathon runners 
than in the controls and judo groups, and positively correlated with the LAD 
index, but negatively correlated with ejection fraction. Multivariate analyses 
showed that the type of athlete and LAD index were independent predictors of 
plasma BNP and ANP concentrations, respectively. Thus, there is an intimate link 
between plasma concentrations of natriuretic peptides and cardiac morphology in 
different types of athletes.