Prevalence of low HDL cholesterol, and relationship between serum HDL and cardiovascular disease in elderly Spanish population: the PREV-ICTUS study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of low serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration and the relationship between HDL-C and established cardiovascular disease (CVD) in an elderly Mediterranean population. METHODS: Analysis of Prevención del Riesgo de Ictus, a population-based study on Spanish subjects aged > or = 60 years. Low HDL-C was defined following the European guidelines for cardiovascular prevention [men: < 40 mg/dl (< 1.0 mmol/l); women: < 46 mg/dl (< 1.2 mmol/l)]. The relationship between low HDL-C or HDL-C concentration (in quintiles) and CVD was assessed through multivariate models that included cardiovascular risk factors, statins and subclinical organ damage. RESULTS: On 6010 subjects (71.7 years, 53.5% women), low HDL-C was present in 17.5% [95% confidence interval (CI): 16.5-18.5] and was more frequent in women [20.4% (19.0-21.8) vs. 14.1% (12.8-15.4) in men p < 0.001] and in patients with diabetes, CVD or statin therapy. Low HDL-C was independently associated with CVD [adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.46, 95% CI: 1.22-1.74, p < 0.001]. The prevalence of CVD was higher as HDL-C concentration was lower (chi-square trend < 0.001). Compared with the highest quintile [> 65 mg/dl (> 1.67 mmol/l)], adjusted OR for CVD were 1.39 (1.10-1.76), 1.41 (1.11-1.80), 1.49 (1.18-1.89) and 1.91 (1.52-2.39), respectively for those in the fourth [57-65 mg/dl (1.46-1.67 mmol/l)], third [51-56 mg/dl (1.31-1.45 mmol/l)], second [46-50 mg/dl (1.18-1.30 mmol/l)] and first [< 46 mg/dl (< 1.18 mmol/l)] quintiles of HDL-C. This association was seen in males and females. CONCLUSIONS: A total of 17.5% of this Spanish population aged > or = 60 years had low HDL-C. We found a strong, independent and inverse association between HDL-C concentrations and established CVD, even at ranges of HDL-C considered as normal.

[Renin-angiotensin system genetic polymorphisms and essential hypertension in the Spanish population]. / Polimorfismos genéticos del sistema renina-angiotensina e hipertensión arterial esencial en la población española.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to analyse the association between essential hypertension and the main genetic polymorphisms at the renin-angiotensin system in the Spanish population. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Case-control study including 185 essential hypertensive subjects(age [SD] 39.6 [7.5] years, 52% women, systolic blood pressure 151.2 [17.4] mmHg, diastolic blood pressure 96.0 [9.4] mmHg) and 350 sex- and age-matched normotensive individuals selected from a sample of the general population of the Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (age 39.4 [8.0] years, 51.7% women, systolic blood pressure 116.0 [12.0] mmHg, diastolic blood pressure 69.6 [8.5] mmHg). A PCR was performed to determine I/D angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism, A-6G and M235T angiotensinogen gene polymorphism and A1166C polymorphism of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor. RESULTS: There were no differences between cases and controls with regard to genotypic and allelic distributions. In hypertensive patients,there were no differences in genotypic or allelic distributions after considering the presence or absence of a familial history of hypertension or comparing tertiles of systolic and diastolic blood pressure values. Only in women, the combination of a C allele of A1166C polymorphism with an A-6G angiotensinogen polymorphism A allele (p = 0.007), or an M235T angiotensinogen polymorphism T allele (p = 0.007), was associated with a higher risk of hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: We found no association between essential hypertension risk and I/D ACE gene, M235T and A-6G angiotensinogen gene, or A1166C angiotensin II type 1 receptor gene polymorphisms. An epistatic effect was observed in young women between angiotensin II type 1 receptor polymorphisms and angiotensinogen polymorphisms.

Losartan reduces microalbuminuria in hypertensive microalbuminuric type 2 diabetics.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to assess the antialbuminuric effect of losartan in a large number of hypertensive type 2 diabetics. METHODS: This was a 6-month, open-label, prospective and multicentre study. A total of 422 patients with type 2 diabetes who were hypertensive [sitting systolic blood pressure (SBP) > or = 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) > or = 90 mmHg] and microalbuminuric [urinary albumin excretion (UAE) 30-300 mg/day] were eligible for the study. After a 2-week run-in period, patients were placed on losartan 50 mg once a day. If the BP did not reach the desired goal (< 140/90 mmHg) after a 4-week period, the losartan dose was doubled. In the absence of control of BP, losartan 50 mg/day+hydroclorothiazide 12.5 mg/day was administrated. Initially and at 12 and 24 weeks of active treatment, BP, UAE, HbA(1c) and other renal function parameters were evaluated. RESULTS: A significant decrease in SBP and DBP was observed, as well as in parameters reflecting metabolic control, fasting glucose and HbA(1c). UAE also decreased significantly, but the percentage of the variance of change in UAE explained by the changes in SBP and HbA(1c) was, however, negligible, i.e. 4%. Moreover, small but significant reductions in uric acid, total cholesterol and triglycerides, and an increase in HDL-cholesterol levels were also observed. CONCLUSION: Antihypertensive treatment with losartan exerts a beneficial effect on UAE, a benchmark for measuring the efficacy of therapeutic interventions in diabetic nephropathy, by reducing BP and allowing better diabetes control. The role of other mechanisms influencing the favourable outcome, beyond these measured effects, needs to be assessed in further studies.

Análisis del consumo de información en la revista Rehabilitación (Mdr) / Analysis of the use of information in the journal Rehabilitation (Mdr)

El análisis de las referencias bibliográficas en distintas publicaciones es uno de los pilares en el estudio de la comunicación científica. Hemos analizado las pautas que rigen el consumo de información en los artículos de la revista Rehabilitación (Mdr). El estudio abarcó las 8.725 referencias bibliográficas en los artículos publicados en la revista entre 1990 y 1995. Las referencias recogidas corresponden a 940 revistas diferentes, de las que 79 son españolas. Las publicaciones editadas en los EE UU y el Reino Unido representan más del 50 por ciento del total, mientras que las de otros países europeos tienen escasa repercusión. En conclusión, la distribución de las referencias bibliográficas en la publicación difiere, en parte, de la habitual en las publicaciones médicas españolas (AU)

Microalbuminuria, left ventricular mass and ambulatory blood pressure in essential hypertension.

The objective of the present study was to assess the relationship between microalbuminuria (Malb) and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), when levels of ambulatory BP was token in to account as a confounder factor. Patients with essential hypertension, aged 25 to 50 years old, never treated with antihypertensive drugs, were included in the study. The inclusion criteria were: (a) absence of diabetes, renal disease or urinary tract infection; (b) urinary albumin excretion (UAE) estimated in urine of 24 hours in two separate days; (c) echocardiography suitable for measurement of left ventricular mass (LVM); and (d) good quality ambulatory blood pressure monitoring during 24 hours. UAE was measured using a immunonephelometric assay (Behring Institute) and Malb was considered when UAE 30 to 300 mg/24 hours during the two days. LVM was calculated by the Devereaux formula and referred to height (LVMI g/m). AMBP was performed using an oscilometric device (Spacelabs 90202 or 90207) during a regular working day. Readings were programmed every 20 minutes between 6 a.m. to midnight and thereafter every 30 minutes. The average BP during a 24 hour period was calculated. One hundred and fifty one patients (96 male, mean age 37 +/- 8 years, body mass index 27.7 +/- 3.7 g/m2) were included. The average values of office BP was 148 +/- 15/96 +/- 8 mm Hg, and the average BP during 24 hours was 137 +/- 13/88 +/- 12 mm Hg. UAE was 30.1 +/- 52.3 mg/24 hr and the LVMI 140.6 +/- 44.1 g/m. The percentage of Malb patients was 28% and those with LVH 34%. A significant relationship between UAE and office and ambulatory SBP and DBP was observed. LVMI was also significantly related to ambulatory SBP and DBP, a relationship that was not found for office BP. In a multiple regression model, significant relationship between UAE and LVMI emerged, independent of diastolic ambulatory BP, age and sex (P < 0.04). In conclusion; we observed a significant relationship between UAE and LVMI, in part, independent of blood pressure. The fact that Malb is associated with the presence of LVH, supports the idea that Malb is a risk marker in essential hypertensive patients.

[Urinary albumin excretion during the night in essential arterial hypertension]. / Excreción urinaria de albúmina durante la noche en la hipertensión arterial esencial.

BACKGROUND: The value of nocturnal minute-by-minute urine was analyzed for the detection of microalbuminuria in high blood pressure. METHODS: Urinary albumin excretion (UAE) was measured by immunonephelometry in 70 patients with essential arterial hypertension (34 males, mean age 44 +/- 5 years, body mass index [BMI] 28 +/- 4, clinical blood pressure [BP] 157 +/- 12/97 +/- 7 mmHg) and 12 healthy normotensive controls (5 males, mean age 38 +/- 4 years, BMI 27 +/- 3; clinical BP 126 +/- 12/79 +/- 5 mmHg). Both 24 hours urine as well as nocturnal urine were collected over 2 days. The intraindividual variability was evaluated by calculation of the intraclass correlation coefficient and by the Bland and Altman method. RESULTS: Mean 24-hour UAE was 24.7 +/- 41.9 micrograms/min, greater than nocturnal urine (17.7 +/- 32.8 micrograms/min) (p < 0.05). The UAE rate was significantly greater in the hypertensive patients than in the controls (p < 0.01) for both the 24-hour and nocturnal urine. The intraindividual variability estimated as the percentage of repeatability was 35% for 24-hour UAE and 43% for nocturnal UAE, being slightly higher values than those observed in the controls. Microalbuminuria was detected in 17 (24%) of the patients in 24-hour samples while in the nocturnal urine 12.12 or 10 patients were found according to whether the threshold considered was 14 micrograms/min, 14.9 micrograms/min or 20 micrograms/min, respectively. While the specificity in nocturnal minute-by-minute urine was 98% and the positive predictive value was 0.91 for any of the thresholds considered, sensitivity ranged from 59% for the higher threshold (20 micrograms/min) to 70% for the lower threshold (14 micrograms/min). CONCLUSIONS: The determination of microalbuminuria in minuted nocturnal urine in patients with essential arterial hypertension is less sensitive than that determined in 24-hour urine.

Do changes in dietary salt influence blood pressure of hypertensive patients pharmacologically controlled with verapamil? The Salt-Switching-Study (SSS).

To study how changes in dietary salt influence the blood pressure (BP) of pharmacologically controlled hypertensive patients, we have selected from a large multicenter trial two subgroups of 14 and 16 patients who attained BP control (office DBP < 90 mm Hg) after a 4-week treatment with verapamil SR 240 mg once daily, either under an unrestricted salt diet (high-salt; 14 patients) or under a moderately restricted salt diet (low-salt; 16 patients). All of them were switched to the opposite dietary salt regimen and continued on verapamil for 4 more weeks (Salt-Switching-Period). Office BP and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) were registered before and after the Salt-Switching-Period. Salt intake was checked by urinary sodium excretion (UNa). Patients switching from high- to low-salt reduced UNa from 180.9 +/- 22.9 to 89 +/- 28 mM Na/24h (P < 0.001) and patients switching from low- to high-salt increased UNa from 85 +/- 38.4 to 175.8 +/- 57.5 mM Na/24h (P < 0.001). No significant changes in BP were found by ABPM either in the group switching from high- to low-salt or in the group switching from low- to high-salt. In the latter group, a significant increase was observed in office DPB but not in SBP. Short-term changes in salt intake seem to have little influence on the BP of patients pharmacologically controlled with verapamil.

[An evaluation of the control of antihypertensive treatment by using ambulatory arterial pressure monitoring]. / Evaluación del control del tratamiento antihipertensivo mediante el uso de monitorización ambulatoria de presión arterial.

BACKGROUND: Outpatient monitoring of blood pressure (OPMBP) allows more precise values to be obtained and to observe the oscillations over 24 hours. Although this is widely used in the estimation of the antihypertensive efficacy of drugs, few studies have been performed on the evaluation of the control in treated patients. METHODS: One hundred eight patients (M/F 55/53, mean age 50 +/- 11 years, body mass index 29.7 +/- 4.4) with essential high blood pressure (HBP) were included in the study fulfilling the criteria of: a) DBP > 95 mmHg on 3 visits over a 2 month period, b) antihypertensive treatment maintained over 2 months and c) normal renal function (Cr < 115 mumol/l). Twenty-five patients were considered as having resistant HBP on presenting BP > 150/100 mmHg during the course of treatment with well combined and adequately dosed drugs, one of which was a diuretic. Twenty-four hour OPMBP was carried out in all the patients on a normal work day with a SpaceLabs 90202 monitor. Acceptable control was considered when the mean of the DBP throughout the day (08:00-22:00) was < 85 mmHg. RESULTS: Out of all the patients studied, 67 (62%) showed acceptable control and 27 (25%) showed normotensive values. Among the 25 refractory hypertensive patients 20 (40%) showed an acceptable control and 7 (28%) normotensive values. The only clinical difference between both groups was the presence of a greater degree of organic repercussion in the inadequately controlled group (chi 2 p < 0.05). Eight patients showed medium values of SBP over 24 h < 120 mmHg and 2 medium values of DBP over 24 h < 70 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: Outpatient monitoring of blood pressure may be useful in the evaluation of the control of high blood pressure in patients submitted to pharmacologic treatment who do not present an adequate reduction in the values of blood pressure.

Factors related to the presence of microalbuminuria in essential hypertension.

The objective of the present study was to assess factors related to the presence of microalbuminuria in essential hypertension. Ninety-five patients with essential hypertension (58 males and 37 females, mean age 38.6 +/- 6.1 years) who had never been treated previously for hypertension were included in the study. Patients with nephropathy or diabetes mellitus, hyperglycemia > 120 mg/dL, glomerular filtration rate < 80 mL/min/1.73 m2, urinary tract infection, or positive dipstick for albumin or glucose were excluded. Blood pressure, echocardiographically determined left ventricular mass, serum biochemistry, and lipid profile were obtained. Twenty-four-hour urinary albumin excretion (UAE) was measured on two separate days using an immunonephelometric assay. Microalbuminuria (UAE 30 to 300 mg/24 h) occurred in 26% of patients and was associated with higher diastolic blood pressure (DBP), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), and a higher prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia and hyperapolipoproteinemia B (apo-B). Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of microalbuminuria was independently related to diastolic blood pressure and hypertriglyceridemia when controlling for age, sex, body mass index, LVMI, and apo-B. Multiple regression analysis likewise confirmed that both DBP and LVMI were linearly related to UAE independent of age, sex, body mass index, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and apo-B. In conclusion, our study indicates that among hypertensive patients with elevated excretion rates of urinary albumin, even at the subclinical level, an increased cardiovascular risk exists compared to normoalbuminuric patients with a similar blood pressure. Assessment of the presence of microalbuminuria may be useful in the evaluation and management of hypertension.

Ambulatory blood pressure and microalbuminuria in essential hypertension: role of circadian variability.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship of subclinical urinary albumin excretion with ambulatory and circadian variability of blood pressure. DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients with essential hypertension (82 males and 59 females, mean +/- SD age 38.9 +/- 7.3 years) who had never been previously treated for hypertension were included in the study. Patients with nephropathy or diabetes mellitus, hyperglycemia > 120 mg/dl, glomerular filtration rate < 80 ml/min per 1.73 m2, urinary tract infection and positive dipstick for albumin or glucose were excluded. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring on a regular working day using an oscillometric device was performed. Twenty-four-hour urinary albumin excretion was measured on two separate days using an immunonephelometric assay. RESULTS: Microalbuminuric patients (urinary albumin excretion 30-300 mg/24 h, n = 31) had significantly higher mean ambulatory systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) than those with normoalbuminuria (urinary albumin excretion < 30 mg/24 h, n = 96) during the 24-h, daytime (0800-2200 h) and night (2400-0600 h) periods, whereas for office blood pressure only DBP was significantly higher. Urinary albumin excretion was positively correlated with the means of SBP and DBP. Multiple regression analysis similarly confirmed that DBP during daytime was positively and day:night ratio of DBP inversely associated with urinary albumin excretion independent of age, sex and other parameters of ambulatory blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the present study indicates that, in middle-aged essential hypertensive patients, the presence of microalbuminuria is a marker for the presence of higher values of blood pressure throughout a 24-h period.