Association of specific HLA phenotypes with left ventricular mass and carotid intima-media thickness in hypertensives

The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that the expression of certain HLA antigens may constitute a risk marker for cardiovascular hypertrophy in subjects with arterial hypertension. We examined 158 subjects with newly diagnosed arterial hypertension. HLA class I (-A, -B, -Cw) and class II (-DR, -DQ) antigens were studied by two-step microlymphocytotoxic technique in peripheral T and B lymphocytes. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was determined noninvasively by ultrasonography. The left ventricular mass was calculated according to the formula of Devereux and was normalized by the individual’s height (LVM/h). The individuals with DR13 and DR17 were characterized by higher values of IMT compared to those without these HLA (0.096 ± 0.018 cm v 0.085 ± 0.021 cm, P = .011, 0.100 ± 0.019 cm v 0.084 ± 0.021 cm, P = .012, respectively). The presence of HLA DQ7 was characterized by markedly higher values of IMT that just failed to reach statistical significance (0.091 ± 0.019 cm v 0.084 ± 0.022 cm, P = .045). Furthermore, subjects with HLA DQ7 and DR11 exhibited higher values of LVM/h in comparison to those without these HLA (191.3 ± 36.2 g/m v 166.9 ± 41.0 g/m, P = .029 and 194.6 ± 34.3 g/m v 166.6 ± 40.9 g/m, P = .034, respectively). Hypertensive subjects with HLA B51 tended to have lower LVM/h (166.6 ± 39.0 g/m with v 176.0 ± 41.7 g/m without HLA B51, P = .045). In conclusion, it can be postulated that certain HLA phenotypes exhibit an association with increased carotid IMT and left ventricular mass in hypertensive subjects. The determination of these antigens may help to identify subjects at high risk for cardiovascular events.