Relationship between arterial stiffness and myocardial damage in patients with newly diagnosed essential hypertension

Abstract

Background: Arterial stiffness increases in hypertensive individuals. Arterial stiffness is associated with impairment of systolic and diastolic myocardial function in hypertension (HT). However, the relationship between arterial stiffness and serum heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) levels, a sensitive marker of myocardial damage, has not been previously examined in patients with HT. We investigate the relationship between serum H-FABP levels and arterial stiffness in patients with newly diagnosed HT. Methods: We studied 46 (48.5 ± 10.6, years) never-treated patients with HT and age-matched control group of 40 (47 ± 8.6, years) normotensive individuals. H-FABP levels were determined in all subjects. We evaluated arterial stiffness and wave reflections of study population, using applanation tonometry (Sphygmocor). Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured as indices of elastic-type, aortic stiffness. The heart rate-corrected augmentation index (AIx@75) was estimated as a marker of wave reflections. Results: Carotid-femoral PWV (10.5 ± 2.2 vs. 8.7 ± 1.6, m/s, P = 0.0001) and AIx@75 (22.7 ± 9.5 vs. 15 ± 11, %, P = 0.001) were significantly higher in patients with HT than control group. H-FABP levels were increased in hypertensive patients compared with control group (21.1 ± 14.8 vs. 12.9 ± 8.5, ng/ml, P = 0.002). In multiple linear regression analysis, we found that the body mass index (β = 0.42, P = 0.0001) and carotid-femoral PWV (β = 0.23, P = 0.03) were significant determinants of H-FABP levels. Conclusion: Arterial stiffness is associated with serum H-FABP levels, a sensitive marker of myocardial damage, in patients with newly diagnosed HT. © 2008 American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd.