P.080 GRADED ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ARTERIAL STIFFNESS AND DIVERSE INFLAMMATORY MARKERS IN NEWLY DIAGNOSED ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSIVE SUBJECTS: LINKING PROINFLAMMATORY MECHANISMS WITH VASCULAR DYSFUNCTION

PurposeTo examined the possible correlations between large artery stiffening and plasma inflammatory markers such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and E-selectin plasma levels in essential hypertensive patients.MethodsOur population of 148 newly diagnosed non-diabetic hypertensive patients [98 men, aged 49 years, office blood pressure (BP) = 150/97 mmHg] was divided into three groups according to carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) values: Group A (PWV ⩽7.8m/s, n = 55), group B (PWV = 7.9–8.7 m/s, n = 54) and group C (PWV > 8.7m/s, n = 39). Moreover, venous blood samples were drawn for estimation of lipid profile and inflammatory markers levels.ResultsIn the total population, PWV was correlated with office systolic BP (r = 0.221, p < 0.05) and TNF-α (r = 0.189, p