title: Fibrinogen and the albumin-globulin ratio in essential hypertension: relations to plasma renin system activity.
abstract: The present study was designed to evaluate the blood albumin-globulin ratio and fibrinogen levels in untreated patients with essential hypertension according to their renin profile, and to investigate the relationship between these hemorheologic variables and metabolic cardiovascular risk factors. Patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension (n = 36, DBP = 95-115 mm Hg) were studied. Normotensive, age and sex matched volunteers (n = 19) served as controls. Assessment of plasma renin activity (PRA) related to concurrent 24 h sodium excretion was used to define patients with high (n = 12), medium (n = 16) and low renin profile (n = 8). Plasma fibrinogen levels and the albumin-globulin ratio (A-G ratio) were determined. The A-G ratio was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the high PRA group compared to the low renin group or the controls. The A-G ratio was significantly negatively related to PRA (r = -0.348; P = 0.043) and serum C-peptide (r = -0.395; P = 0.017). Fibrinogen levels were lower (P < 0.05) in the controls when compared to high and medium PRA group. Fibrinogen was associated with total cholesterol (r = 0.479; P = 0.037), HDL cholesterol (r = -0.467; P = 0.028), plasma triglycerides (r = 0.414; P = 0.012) and fasting plasma glucose level (r = 0.358; P = 0.032). In conclusion, essential hypertensive patients with high PRA display more pronounced alterations in blood proteins, particularly in the decrease of the A-G ratio than patients with low PRA. This may be one additional factor accounting for the higher incidence of cardiovascular disease previously reported in high PRA group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University of Tartu, Estonia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Allikmets
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Parik
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Teesalu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D005916:Globulins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D005916:Globulins; D005340:Fibrinogen