RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Aldosterone has been assumed to be implicated in left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Preventing the progression of LVH in the early period of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) can increase patient survival. In this study, therefore, we analyzed the relationship between aldosterone level and LVH in ESRD patients who underwent hemodialysis at Fatemeh Zahra Hospital and Imam Khomeini Hospital in Sari, Iran from 2016 to 2017. METHODS: This research is a case-control study involving 69 patients, divided into the case group (n=52, exhibiting LVH) and the control group (n=17, no ventricular hypertrophy observed in the echocardiography). The relationship between the patients' serum aldosterone levels and LVH was evaluated on the basis of relative wall thickness (RWT). RESULTS: Among the patients, 20.3% had normal cardiac conditions, 53.6% eccentric hypertrophy (EH), 4.3% exhibited concentric remodeling (CR), and 21.7% had concentric hypertrophy (CH). In other words, 24.6% of the patients belonged to the control group, and 75.4% belonged to the case group. The results indicated a significant difference (P=0.006) in average aldosterone levels between the case (165.11±80.8) and control (115.76±72.47) groups and a significant difference in aldosterone levels among the four subgroups (P=0.03), with the levels of the CH group being higher than those of the EH group. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of the study, a significant relationship exists between plasma aldosterone level and LVH in ESRD patients. Serum aldosterone level is therefore a predictor of LVH.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The markers of inflammation and (apo)lipoproteins are associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). Simultaneous assessment of the risk factors has been proposed to improve the diagnosis of CAD. The aim of this study was to examine the potential interactions between leukocyte counts and other risk factors. METHODS: The markers of inflammation, (apo)(lipo)proteins, (non)electrolytes, hematological parameters and classical risk factors, were determined in 264 clinically stable angiographically documented subjects. The subjects were classified as CAD cases or controls according to the results of coronary angiography. RESULTS: The frequency and severity of CAD, Framingham CAD scores, relative and absolute risk for CAD and the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and smoking were significantly higher in the third relative to the first tertile of leukocyte counts. Subjects with leukocyte counts in the upper tertile had significant higher levels of serum glucose, triglyceride, hsC-reactive protein, potassium, phosphorus and measured osmolality, and lower levels of apoAI, total protein, albumin and the ratio of albumin/globulins. Analyses by bivariate correlation on differential leukocyte counts showed that these associations are carried mostly by neutrophil, except for diabetes, glucose and triglyceride which were due to lymphocyte counts. By constructing dummy combined variables, high leukocyte counts accompanied by smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and high levels of serum glucose, cholesterol, apoB and apoB/apoAI ratio, exhibited amplified high risk for CAD. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that leukocyte count does interact multiplicatively with smoking, hypertension, diabetes, glucose, cholesterol, apoB and apoB/AI ratio. The simultaneous assessment of leukocyte counts and interactive risk factors enhances the diagnosis of CAD.