Impaired metabolic profile is a predictor of capillary rarefaction in a population of hypertensive and normotensive individuals.
Capillary rarefaction is typically encountered in essential hypertension, yet identification of factors interfering with this phenomenon remains substantially underinvestigated. We examined whether components of metabolic profile (dyslipidemia, insulin resistance), inflammatory (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein), and angiogenic (vascular endothelial growth factor) factors are implicated in this phenomenon in a population of newly diagnosed, never-treated hypertensive patients and normotensive controls. Nailfold capillary density was estimated with nailfold capillaroscopy using specifically designed software. A total of 159 individuals, 93 hypertensives, and 66 normotensives were included. Nailfold capillary density was lower among hypertensives compared to normotensives (146.4 ± 31.0 vs. 155.4 ± 26.9, respectively; P = .047). In the total population, capillary density significantly correlated with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (r = 0.232; P = .003), HDL/low-density lipoprotein ratio (r = 0.175; P = .025), age (r = 0.236; P = .003), but neither with vascular endothelial growth factor or high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. An inverse association was found with body mass index (r = -0.174; P = .029), insulin levels (r = -0.200; P = .018), and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (r = -0.223; P = .009). In the separate analysis for the hypertensive population, sex (P = .014) and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (P = .011) were identified as significant predictors of capillary rarefaction after adjustment for other factors. On the contrary, only HDL levels (P = .036) predicted capillary density in the multiple regression model for the normotensive population. Different aspects of impaired metabolic profile, that is, insulin resistance and low HDL levels, but not angiogenic or inflammatory markers, appear to be independently associated with capillary rarefaction in hypertensive and normotensive individuals.
3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Areti
A
Triantafyllou
3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: panyfan@hotmail.com.
Panagiota
P
Anyfanti
3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Georgios
G
Triantafyllou
Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece.
Xenophon
X
Zabulis
2nd Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Spyros
S
Aslanidis
3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Stella
S
Douma
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000652:urine; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D055442:Metabolome; D020678:Microscopic Angioscopy; D000073436:Microvascular Rarefaction / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D007328:Insulin; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
Capillary rarefaction; hypertension; insulin resistance; metabolic profile