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Background. Both ANP and BNP plasmatic levels increase in heart failure patients at rest and during exercise. Aim. To study the dynamics of cardiac peptides (NT-proANP and NT-proBNP) at rest and during exercise in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and heart failure (HF). Methods. 32 patients with DCM (of which 22 with ischemic etiology and 10 with non-ischemic one) and CHF (NYHA class I-IV) were studied. All patients performed a symptom-limited exercise testing on cycloergometer. Plasmatic values of NT-proANP and NT-proBNP were determined at rest and at peak effort by ELISA method, normal values (fmol/ml) were NT-proANP<1940 and NT-proBNP<250. Ejection fraction, diastolic diameter of the left ventricle and the left atrial diameter were measured using 2D echo. Results. At rest, NT-proANP was 3588.4±323 fmol/ml, 1.85 times greater than normal, while NT- proBNP was 788.8±73 fmol/ml, 3.19 times greater than normal. At peak effort, NT-proANP was 5241.9±423 fmol/ml (46% increase), while that of NT-proBNP was 983. 8 ±87 fmol/ml (24% increased). Rest and exercise value of NT-proANP correlated well with the NYHA I+II patients' effort capacity (r = 0.71) and even better with NYHA III+IV patients' effort capacity (r = 0.81, p<0.01). Also, rest and exercise value of NT-proBNP correlated well with the NYHA I+II patients' effort capacity (r = 0.92, p<0.01) and even better with NYHA III+IV patients' effort capacity (r = 0.98, p<0.01). On the other hand, there was no significant correlation between the plasmatic levels of cardiac peptides at rest and during exercise and left ventricle ejection fraction (r = 0.31), left ventricle telediastolic diameter, r = 0.32) and left atrial diameter (r = 0.37). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]