Inflammatory markers in hypertensive patients and influence of some associated metabolic risk factor

Some epidemiological studies have begun to show a possible correlation between systemic and vascular inflammation and the presence of essential hypertension, especially if it is associated with metabolic risk factors (obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus). The objective of this study was to evaluate the levels of C-reactive protein and fibrinogen as markers of inflammation in patients with essential hypertension, with or without associated metabolic risk factors. The retrospective study included 200 patients separated into five groups (control, hypertension, and respectively hypertension associated with obesity, or diabetes mellitus type II non-obese or obese type II diabetes). Anamnestic and anthropometric data, blood pressure and heart rate, blood glucose, lipid profile, fibrinogen, quantitative C-reactive protein and echocardiographic parameters have been reported and compared between groups. Our study evaluated a total of 110 women and 90 men, each of the five groups comprising a total of 22 (55%) women and 18 (45%) males. Study of the inflammatory syndrome found the highest values of CRP in hypertensive and obese patients: 1.56 +/- 3.08 (p = 0.014) in group 3 and 0.92 +/- 1.11 (p = 0.001) in group 5 versus control group (0.30 +/- 0.36). Fibrinogen values were significantly elevated in all groups of hypertensive, demonstrating the existence of an inflammatory syndrome, even in the absence of obesity or diabetes. All the patients showed a statistically significant relationship between elevated CRP and fibrinogen levels and the presence of hypertension, isolated, or in combination with obesity and diabetes mellitus.