title: The relationship between inflammation and arterial stiffness in patients with essential hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data about the correlation between augmentation index (AIx), timing of the reflected waveform (T(r)) and inflammatory markers in patients with essential hypertension are not yet well established. The aim of this study was to compare plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), white blood cell count and fibrinogen in hypertensive patients and in normotensive controls and to assess the relationship between inflammatory markers and arterial stiffness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two healthy middle-aged patients with untreated stage I-II essential hypertension and 42 sex- and age-matched controls were recruited in the study. Pulse wave analysis was used to assess AIx and T(r).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma hsCRP, white blood cell count, AIx and T(r) were significantly higher in the patients with essential hypertension. In multiple regression analysis, AIx correlated positively with age, female gender, mean arterial pressure and log(hsCRP), and negatively with heart rate and height (R(2)=0.75, p<0.001). T(r) correlated negatively with log(hsCRP) (r=-0.34, p=0.002) for the whole study group. However, after adjusting for mean arterial pressure, age, height, heart rate and sex to the regression model, no correlation was revealed between log(hsCRP) and T(r) (p=0.35) as the dependent variable (R(2)=0.48, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Untreated hypertensive patients with low or moderate total cardiovascular risk had significantly increased blood hsCRP and white blood cell count and arterial stiffness, expressed as AIx and T(r). AIx correlated independently with hsCRP in multiple regression analysis. Measurement of arterial stiffness and inflammation can be suggested as an additional tool to assess cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients with low or moderate total cardiovascular risk as estimated by traditional risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University of Tartu, 8 Puusepa Street, Tartu 51014, Estonia. pritt.kampus@kliinikum.ee
authors.forename: Priit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kampus
authors.forename: Piibe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Muda
authors.forename: Jaak
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kals
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ristimäe
authors.forename: Krista
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Rein
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Teesalu
authors.forename: Mihkel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zilmer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001011:Aorta / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013318:Stroke Volume; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D014280:Triglycerides; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein