Arylesterase activity of paraoxonase 1 in patients with primary hypertension

Introduction Paraoxonase 1 is an enzyme associated with high-density lipoprotein fraction and is considered to present antioxidant activity. Objectives The aim of the study was to assess the arylesterase activity of paraoxonase 1 (PON1) in the serum of patients with hypertension, due to effect of therapy and before treatment. Patients and Methods. The study was conducted in 76 patients with primary hypertension and 28 volunteers for the control group. Hypertensive subjects were assigned to one of three groups: well controlled (n=25), poorly controlled (n=26), and newly diagnosed before therapy (n=25) hypertension. We evaluated metabolic parameters in all participants using routine laboratory methods, as well as arylesterase activity of PON1. Results The four study groups differed with arylesterase activity of PON1 and the highest levels were found in patients with well controlled hypertension and the lowest in newly diagnosed. All patients diagnosed with hypertension presented negative correlations between PON1 and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Conclusions Effective treatment of hypertension could result in increased PON1 activity, despite unfavorable homocysteine concentrations in blood. Untreated hypertension might decrease activity of PON.