Abstract 248: Gender Dimorphism Of Endothelial Disorders In Hypertensives With Metabolic Risk Factors

Objective: To investigate endothelial function in men and women with essential hypertension (EH) in relation to metabolic risk factors. Methods: We examined 124 untreated patients (45 men and 79 women) with EH (mean age 50,3±5,6y and 52,3±7,6y, body mass index - 30,9±6,2 и 31,1±2,2 kg/m2 accordingly) (p&gt0,05) and 25 healthy volunteers (10 men and 15 women) with characteristics comparable. Plasma leptin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay, plasma levels of stable nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) - by spectrophotometry. Results were pro¬cessed with Statistica 6.0 software. Results: Prevalence of metabolic factors (visceral obesity, dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia) in men and women was comparable (p&lt0,05). Hypertensive males and females had higher NOx concentration than controls (49,5±19.1, 42,1±22.1 and 28,3±9,6 μmol/l, accordingly) (p&lt0,05) with predominance in males. In males with EH the highest NOx level was at grade 1(53,9±26,2), lower - at the grade 2(44,5±17) and the lowest - at the grade 3 EH 41,4±23,9 μmol/l (p&lt0,05). Females with EH didn’t have significant differences of NOx levels in accordance to EH grade: 42.6±2.2, 43.9±25.3, and 40.2±20.8μmol/l, accordingly (p&gt0,05). In males NOx levels correlated with EH grade (r=-0,36, p&lt0,05). NOx concentration did not differ between males and females with EH with or without dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia(p&gt0,05). Obese males with EH had higher NOx levels (39,5±14,9 μmol/l), than females (35,9±17,8 μmol/l) (p&lt0,05). Nonobese males and females with EH didn’t have significant differences of NOx concentration (55,3±17,9 и 53,8±20,1 μmol/l, accordingly) (p&gt0,05). In female NOx levels correlated with the presence of obesity (r=-0,48, p&lt0,05). Males with EH and high leptin levels had higher NOx concentration (31,6±13,1 μmol/l), than females (25,4±10,1 μmol/l) (p&lt0,05). NOx levels did not differ between males and females with EH and normal leptin levels (53,1±11,3 и 51,8±10,5 μmol/l, accordingly) (p&gt0,05). Conclusion: Our results demonstrate gender dimorphism of cardiovascular risk factors impact in endothelial dysfunction. The presence and grade of EH are more significant for male hypertensives while obesity and hyperleptinemia - for female hypertensives.