Low-grade inflammation in white-coat hypertension.
BACKGROUND
C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of systemic low-grade inflammation, is frequently elevated in essential hypertension and predicts cardiovascular prognosis independently of conventional risk factors. The risk profile of white-coat hypertension is not yet completely clear. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) in white-coat hypertensive subjects.


METHODS
Thirty-six age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched white-coat hypertensive subjects, 36 essential hypertensive patients, and 36 normotensive subjects were included in the study.


RESULTS
Hs-CRP levels were significantly higher in the essential hypertensive and white-coat hypertensive groups than in the normotensive group (0.66+/-0.29, 0.47+/-0.32, and 0.27+/-0.22 mg/dl, respectively, p<0.001). It was also higher in the essential hypertensive group than in the white-coat hypertensive group (p=0.014).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show that patients with white-coat hypertension have higher hs-CRP levels than normotensive patients and this may be an indication of increased risk.
Department of Internal Medicine, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey.
Mustafa
M
Ozdogan
Hakan
H
Bozcuk
Erkan
E
Coban
D000328:Adult; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D002097:C-Reactive Protein