Heart Dysfunction in Essential Hypertension Depends on Systemic Proinflammatory Influences: A Retrospective Clinical Pathophysiological Study.

Low-intensity systemic inflammation is an important element of heart failure pathogenesis. The aim of this study is to assess proinflammatory status serum indicators (C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6)) in middle-aged males (M) and females (F) with essential hypertension (HTN) depending on left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction (LVDD). The main group comprised 55 M and 49 F with the first- to second-severity grade HTN with mild heart failure and a preserved LV ejection fraction ≥50%. Patients had sinus rhythm, first or second-severity degree LVDD, LV hypertrophy, left atrium dilatation, and NT-proBNP > 125 pg/mL. Comparison group: 30 hypertensives without cardiac dysfunction; control group: 31 normotensives. Quantitative features were compared using the Mann−Whitney test, median χ2, ANOVA module. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were determined to identify the relationship between the proinflammatory pattern and exercise tolerance. Hypertensive M had markedly higher CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels compared to F. All mean values corresponded to reference range. In patients with second-degree LVDD, CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels were significantly greater than in subjects with first-degree LVDD (both within M and within F samples). Significant negative associations between CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α levels and the 6 min walk test existed in hypertensive M and F. The study demonstrated a close relationship between the proinflammatory pattern and LVDD and exercise tolerance indicators, regardless of the hypertensive patient's sex.

Association of Chronic Paracentral Acute Middle Maculopathy Lesions with Hypertension.

PURPOSE: To study changes in retinal microcirculation and the prevalence of chronic paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM) lesions in patients with mild hypertension. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-seven patients (21 men and 6 women; mean age, 50.3±6.3 years) with mild hypertension and with low cardiovascular risk and 24 healthy participants (15 men and 9 women; mean age, 46.3±13.0 years) were included. METHODS: The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area and the vessel density of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) were assessed using OCT angiography (OCTA). The presence of chronic PAMM lesions was evaluated for both eyes by the revision of cross-sectional OCT images of 6-mm volume scans. A chronic or resolved PAMM lesion was defined as inner nuclear layer thinning with outer plexiform layer (OPL) disruption. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Vessel density of the SCP and DCP and prevalence of chronic PAMM lesions. RESULTS: No difference was found between the hypertensive group and healthy group in demographic and clinical characteristics, vessel density of the SCP (48.9±2.4% and 47.8±2.0%, respectively; P = 0.92), vessel density of the DCP (54.1±3.3% and 54.0±1.8%, respectively; P = 0.93), or FAZ area (0.26±0.13 mm2 and 0.23±0.09 mm2, respectively; P = 0.37). Chronic PAMM lesions were found in 24 of 27 (88.9%) hypertensive patients and in 4 of 24 (16.7%) healthy individuals. The odds ratio for the presence of chronic PAMM lesions in patients with mild hypertension was 40.0 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Chronic PAMM lesions are highly prevalent in hypertensive patients and may represent the earliest changes in retinal microcirculation in patients with mild hypertension, before changes in OCTA parameters have become apparent.

Systemic Action of Inflammatory Mediators in Patients with Essential Hypertension and Diastolic Chronic Heart Failure: A Clinical Pathophysiological Study.

The aim of this research was to correlate indicators of proinflammatory status and the structural/functional characteristics of the cardiovascular system comparatively in male and female patients with essential hypertension (EH) complicated by diastolic chronic heart failure (CHF) with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The study included 104 middle-aged patients (55 males (M) and 49 females (F)) with first- or second-degree EH complicated by CHF with preserved LVEF. They all belonged to the low functional class of CHF, with LVEF ≥50%, first- or second-degree of LV diastolic dysfunction (LVDD), LV hypertrophy (LVH), and dilatation of the left atrium (LA) with a sinus rhythm and N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide >125 pg/mL. Serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured. To identify the relationship between the proinflammatory pattern and cardiovascular parameters, Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were determined. M had markedly higher levels of CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 compared to F. However, all the mean values corresponded to the reference range. Significant direct associations of CRP level with the LV mass index (LVMI), relative wall thickness (RWT), LA volume index (LAVI), E/e' ratio, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) existed in both M and F, as well as negative correlations of CRP with LVDD parameter e' and distance covered in a 6 min walk test. M and F had a positive association between IL-6 and LVMI, LAVI, E/e' ratio, SBP, RWT, and DBP, as well as strong negative associations between IL-6 and e' and distance passed in 6 min in each group. Significant direct correlations existed between serum TNF-α level and LVMI, RWT, LAVI, E/e', SBP, and DBP both in M and F. Furthermore, there were negative relationships of TNF-α level with e' and the distance covered for the 6 min walk. This study demonstrated a close relationship between the blood levels of proinflammatory autacoids and indicators of EH, exercise tolerance, LVH, LVDD, and LA enlargement, regardless of the patient's sex. Compared to female patients, male patients had stronger correlations of CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels with indicators of LVDD degree.