Comparison of arterial functional evaluations as a predictor of cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients: the Non-Invasive Atherosclerotic Evaluation in Hypertension (NOAH) study.

Increased arterial stiffness and impaired vasodilator response have been associated with cardiovascular events in high-risk patients. However, whether arterial changes predict the occurrence of hypertensive complications is still unclear. Therefore, we designed a hospital-based cohort study to examine the prognostic impact of arterial functional changes on stroke and cardiovascular diseases in hypertensive patients.

Evaluation of morning blood pressure elevation and autonomic nervous activity in hypertensive patients using wavelet transform of heart rate variability.

To evaluate morning autonomic nervous activity and blood pressure profiles in hypertensive patients by analyzing heart rate variability and ambulatory blood pressure. Data from 82 patients with untreated essential hypertension were analyzed. We evaluated the 24-h profile of blood pressure and that of indices of autonomic nervous activity, i.

Deletion of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 accelerates pressure overload-induced cardiac dysfunction by increasing local angiotensin II.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a carboxypeptidase that cleaves angiotensin II to angiotensin 1-7. Recently, it was reported that mice lacking ACE2 (ACE2(-/y) mice) exhibited reduced cardiac contractility. Because mechanical pressure overload activates the cardiac renin-angiotensin system, we used ACE2(-/y) mice to analyze the role of ACE2 in the response to pressure overload.

Serum interleukin-15 concentration in patients with essential hypertension.

Background: Interleukin (IL)-15 is one of the cytokines produced by neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages, and its expression is found immunohistochemically in inflammatory cells adjacent to vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. However, the influence of systemic IL-15 on cardiovascular disease is still unclear. Therefore, we designed clinical investigations to clarify the relationship between cardiovascular complications and serum IL-15 levels.

Association of hypoadiponectinemia with impaired vasoreactivity.

Endothelial dysfunction is a crucial feature in the evolution of atherosclerosis. Adiponectin is an adipocyte-specific plasma protein with antiatherogenic and antidiabetic properties. In the present study, we investigated the relation between adiponectin and endothelium-dependent vasodilation.

Serum hepatocyte growth factor concentration is correlated with the forearm vasodilator response in hypertensive patients.

To evaluate the clinical importance of serum hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) concentration, we designed two clinical investigations. The first study analyzed the correlation between serum HGF concentration and clinical arterial stiffness or the vasodilator response to reactive hyperemia in hypertensive patients. The second study investigated the correlation between changes in serum HGF concentration and clinical arterial stiffness or reactive hyperemia during treatment with cilazapril or atenolol.