Left ventricular mass, diastolic function and collagen metabolism biomarkers in essential hypertension

Background and objective: To evaluate the association between circulating biomarkers of collagen metabolism in serum, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and diastolic dysfunction in patients with resistant hypertension. Patients and methods: Fifty-two patients with resistant hypertension and 24 healthy individuals were included. The following biomarkers of collagen metabolism were analyzed by ELISA: carboxy-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I (PICP) and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF beta 1). The biomarker C-terminal telopeptide of collagen type-I (ICTP) was assayed by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. In the patient's group a record of 24-h blood pressure monitoring was obtained and an echocardiography was performed. Left ventricular mass was measured according to the formula of Devereux and the diastolic function according to the relation of E and A waves and mitral propagation velocity. Results: Hypertensive patients showed higher levels of PICP and lower levels of ICTP than controls: 83.7 (24.7) vs. 55.0 (8.7), P<.0001; and 175.0 (136.4) vs. 323.3 (121.3), P<.0001). Hypertensive patients showed a significant relationship between PICP and LVMI (r = 0.631, P<.0001) and between PICP and diastolic dysfunction (r = -0.519, P<.0001). The groups with and without hypertrophy, and with or without diastolic dysfunction, differed in the mentioned peptides but not in BP values. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the analyzed markers of synthesis and degradation of collagen may be related to myocardial hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction independent of blood pressure values. (C) 2011 Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.