RESUMO
AIM: To investigate the changes of serum nerve growth factor (NGF) level in patients with arterial hypertension (AH) and obesity in dependence on the degree of psycho-emotional stress and physical activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined 76 male patients with stage I and II AH with mean age 46.75±0.56 years (36 patients with and 40 without obesity). Control group consisted of 26 individuals without AH, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. All patients underwent ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring. Serum concentrations of NGF ß-subunit and cortisol were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. For assessment of levels of psycho-emotional stress, reactive and personal anxiety, and physical activity we used Psychological Stress Measure (PSM-25), the Spielberger-Khanin questionnaire, and brief International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), respectively. RESULTS: Level of NGF in patients with AH and obesity (0.94±0.28 ρg/ml) was higher than in non-obese patients with AH (0.21±0.06 ρg/ml; p=0.018) with highest figures in patients with insufficient physical activity and high level of psychoemotional stress. In all groups of patients there was unidirectional reverse correlation between serum NGF and cortisol levels. According to ambulatory BP monitoring, NGF level was inversely proportional to systolic and diastolic BP variability in patients with AH and obesity and in the control group. Reduced serum concentration of NGF was associated with increased levels of reactive and personal anxiety. CONCLUSION: Obtained data suggests that NGF plays an important role in complex multifactorial interactions between neuropsychic, cardiovascular and metabolic processes.