title: [Relevant factors of microalbuminuria in aged patients with essential hypertension].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between microalbuminuria and endothelial-dependent relaxing function and atherosclerosis of common carotid artery (CCA) in aged patients with essential hypertension (EH).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four aged EH patients were recruited. According to the albumin excretion rate (AER) in the urine measured by immunoturbidimetry, patients were divided into 2 groups: normoalbuminuria group (NAU group) and microalbuminuria group (MAU group). Thirty aged persons without EH were served as the control group. The endothelium-dependent relaxing function of blood vessels, intima-media thickness (IMT) and the plaque of CCA were measured by color Doppler ultrasound.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The flow-mediated dilation in the MAU group [(4.98+/-1.35)%] and that in the NAU group [(6.31+/-1.14)%] were significantly lower than that in the control group [(9.09+/-1.83)%, P<0.05, respectively], especially lower in the MAU group. The IMT of CCA in the MAU group [(0.97+/-0.19)mm] and that in the NAU group [(0.86+/-0.10)mm] were significantly thicker than that in the control group [(0.78+/-0.13)mm] (P<0.05, respectively), especially thicker in the MAU group. The analysis of multiple stepwise regression showed that the microalbuminuria was successively related to EDF, the IMT of CCA, the plaque index of CCA, systolic blood pressure, etc.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EDF is impaired, and there is the atherosclerosis of CCA in aged patients with EH. Microalbuminuria correlates with the decrease of endothelium-dependent relaxing function and the IMT of CCA in aged patients with EH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Cardiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China. xyxiexm@sina.com
authors.forename: Xiu-mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Zhi-ling
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guo-tian
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ye-qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000209:etiology*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography