title: Gender differences in the risk factors for endothelial dysfunction in Chinese hypertensive patients: homocysteine is an independent risk factor in females.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Endothelial dysfunction plays a key role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. However, the gender-related differences in risk factors for endothelial dysfunction are controversial. We investigated the gender differences in the risk factor profiles for endothelial dysfunction in Chinese hypertensive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vascular endothelial functions in 213 hypertensive patients were measured by digital reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometry (RH-PAT). Peripheral blood samples were collected, and the self-reported smoking and alcohol consumption status, age, body mass index, heart rate, blood pressure and drug administrations were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RH-PAT indexes were attenuated in both male and female hypertensive patients [1.60 (1.38-2.02) vs. 1.63 (1.44-1.98)]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified plasma creatinine (p < 0.001), total cholesterol (p = 0.001), homocysteine (p = 0.002) and smoking (p < 0.001) as the independent factors correlated with gender (male). Multivariate linear regression analysis further identified homocysteine as the factor that is significantly and independently correlated with the decrease in the RH-PAT indexes in female patients (odds ratio: -0.166, 95% confidence interval: -0.292 to -0.040, p = 0.01). However, none of these four factors were correlated with the RH-PAT indexes in male patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are gender-related differences in the risk factors for endothelial dysfunction in Chinese hypertensive patients. Homocysteine is an independent factor for endothelial dysfunction in female hypertensive patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Jianxin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Jiangxi Province, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Yifei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoshu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine