[Nonspecific inflammation and structural changes in the arteries of hypertensive males at high and moderate risk for cardiovascular events].

Aim: To study relationships between nonspecific inflammation (NI) of the arterial wall and its structural changes in Stages I-II hypertensive disease (HD) males at moderate and high risks of cardiovascular events (CVE).

Subjects And Methods: Sixty hypertensive males aged 30 to 65 years (mean age 44 +/- 2 years), including 35 patients with grade 1 arterial hypertension (AH) and 25 with grade 2 AH at moderate and high risks of CVE, were examined. The concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and methylglyoxal (MG) were measured. Pulse wave propagation velocity (PWPV) and ankle brachial index (ABI) were studied. Normal PWPV values were calculated in terms of gender and age features.

Results: The examined HD group showed a positive correlation of PWPV with systolic blood pressure over 24 hours (r=0.39; p < 0.02) and age (r = 0.47; p < 0.01). In smoking and nonsmoking hypertensive men, PWPV differences failed to achieve statistical significance (14.05 +/- 0.53 and 13.07 +/- 0.38 m/sec, respectively). PWPW was found to be correlated with CRP values weakly (r = 0.31; p = 0.07) and with MG levels moderately (r = 0.62; p < 0.01); there were also positive relationships of ABI to the levels of CRP (r = 0.50; p < 0.01) and MG (r = 0.46; p < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between CRP and MG levels (r = 0.45; p = 0.01).

Conclusion: In middle-aged men with grades 1-2 AH at moderate and high risks of CVE, NI processes are not only related to MG metabolism, but also they have a substantial effect on the elastic properties of the wall of predominantly muscle-elastic type arteries, which validates the hypothesis of the involvement of NI processes in the course of HD.