title: Increased arterial stiffness in resistant hypertension is associated with inflammatory biomarkers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased levels of inflammatory biomarkers such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), 10 (IL-10), 1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) are associated with arterial stiffness in hypertension. Indeed, resistant hypertension (RHTN) leads to unfavorable prognosis attributed to poor blood pressure (BP) control and target organ damage. This study evaluated the potential impact of inflammatory biomarkers on arterial stiffness in RHTN.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 32 RHTN, 20 mild hypertensive (HTN) and 20 normotensive (NT) patients were subjected to office BP and arterial stiffness measurements assessed by pulse wave velocity (PWV). Inflammatory biomarkers were measured in plasma samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PWV was increased in RHTN compared with HTN and NT (p < 0.05). TNF-α levels were significantly higher in RHTN and HTN than NT patients. No differences in IL-6 levels were observed. RHTN patients had a higher frequency of subjects with increased levels of IL-10 and IL-1β compared with HTN and NT patients. Finally, IL-1β was independently associated with PWV (p < 0.001; R(2) = 0.5; β = 0.077).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RHTN subjects have higher levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10) as well as increased arterial stiffness, and detectable IL-1β levels are associated arterial stiffness. These findings suggest that inflammation plays a possible role in the pathophysiology of RHTN.
authors: Laboratory of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (Unicamp) , Campinas , Brazil.
authors: Natália Ruggeri
authors: NR
authors: Barbaro
authors: Vanessa
authors: V
authors: Fontana
authors: Rodrigo
authors: R
authors: Modolo
authors: Ana Paula
authors: AP
authors: De Faria
authors: Andrea Rodrigues
authors: AR
authors: Sabbatini
authors: Francisco Helfenstein
authors: FH
authors: Fonseca
authors: Gabriel F
authors: GF
authors: Anhê
authors: Heitor
authors: H
authors: Moreno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059289:Vascular Stiffness
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Arterial stiffness; inflammatory cytokines; pulse wave velocity; resistant hypertension