BACKGROUND: Endothelial damage is an early component of atherosclerosis; however, the impact of cardiovascular risk factors on endothelial function is not clearly understood. We investigated the impact of lipid profiles and high blood pressure on damage. OBJECTIVE: Japanese male outpatients with grade I or II hypertension, along with gender and age-matched normotensive subjects (both n = 25), were enrolled. Subjects with severe cardiovascular risk factors or illness or those taking medications were excluded. Blood was sampled for laboratory analysis and endothelial function was assessed by flow-mediated dilation (FMD). RESULTS: Total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (total-C/HDL-C) was inversely correlated with the FMD value and positively correlated with both malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein values. Stepwise regression analysis revealed total-C/HDL-C and systolic blood pressure were significant determinants of FMD. Hypertensive subjects had lower FMD values and similar lipid profiles to normotensive subjects. Grouping subjects according to total-C/HDL-C levels showed that those with high values had lower FMD values. Hypertensive subjects with low total-C/HDL-C had similar endothelial index values to those in normotensive subjects with high total-C/HDL-C. Logistic regression indicated hypertension and high total-C/HDL-C were significantly associated with low FMD values. CONCLUSION: Impaired endothelial function was associated with increased total-C/HDL-C values, possibly as the result of increased vascular oxidative stress and inflammation. In the early stages of atherosclerosis, the impact of both total-C/HDL-C and BP may be similar in terms of endothelial damage.
BACKGROUND: Endothelial damage is an early component of atherosclerosis; however, the impact of cardiovascular risk factors on endothelial function is not clearly understood. We investigated the impact of lipid profiles and high blood pressure on damage. OBJECTIVE: Japanese male outpatients with grade I or II hypertension, along with gender and age-matched normotensive subjects (both n = 25), were enrolled. Subjects with severe cardiovascular risk factors or illness or those taking medications were excluded. Blood was sampled for laboratory analysis and endothelial function was assessed by flow-mediated dilation (FMD). RESULTS: Total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (total-C/HDL-C) was inversely correlated with the FMD value and positively correlated with both malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein values. Stepwise regression analysis revealed total-C/HDL-C and systolic blood pressure were significant determinants of FMD. Hypertensive subjects had lower FMD values and similar lipid profiles to normotensive subjects. Grouping subjects according to total-C/HDL-C levels showed that those with high values had lower FMD values. Hypertensive subjects with low total-C/HDL-C had similar endothelial index values to those in normotensive subjects with high total-C/HDL-C. Logistic regression indicated hypertension and high total-C/HDL-C were significantly associated with low FMD values. CONCLUSION: Impaired endothelial function was associated with increased total-C/HDL-C values, possibly as the result of increased vascular oxidative stress and inflammation. In the early stages of atherosclerosis, the impact of both total-C/HDL-C and BP may be similar in terms of endothelial damage.
Authors: Etheresia Pretorius; Chantelle Venter; Gert Jacobus Laubscher; Maritha J Kotze; Sunday O Oladejo; Liam R Watson; Kanshu Rajaratnam; Bruce W Watson; Douglas B Kell Journal: Cardiovasc Diabetol Date: 2022-08-06 Impact factor: 8.949