Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2026
Measuring Ascending Aortic Stiffness In Vivo in Mice Using Ultrasound
Published on: December 2, 2014
Relationship between albumin excretion rate and aortic stiffness in untreated essential hypertensive patients
1Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Malattie Cardiovascolari e Nefrourologiche, Cattedra di Medicina Interna e Centro Ipertensione, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy. giusemme@email.it
Insights
Microalbuminuria, an early sign of kidney dysfunction, is linked to increased aortic stiffness in hypertensive patients. This finding suggests microalbuminuria is an integrated marker of cardiovascular risk.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Nephrology
- Hypertension Research
Background:
- Essential hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
- Aortic stiffness, measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), is an indicator of vascular aging and cardiovascular risk.
- Microalbuminuria, characterized by elevated albumin excretion rate (AER), is an early sign of kidney damage and may reflect systemic vascular dysfunction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between albumin excretion rate (AER) and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) in nondiabetic patients with essential hypertension and normal renal function.
- To determine if microalbuminuria is associated with increased aortic stiffness in this patient group.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 70 nondiabetic patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension.
- Measurements included 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, carotid-femoral PWV, and albumin excretion rate (AER).
- Statistical analyses, including regression models, were used to assess the association between AER and PWV, controlling for confounding factors.
Main Results:
- Microalbuminuric patients exhibited significantly higher 24-hour blood pressure and carotid-femoral PWV compared to normoalbuminuric subjects.
- A significant positive correlation was found between AER and carotid-femoral PWV (r = 0.42, P = 0.0003).
- This association remained significant after adjusting for 24-hour blood pressure, body mass index, and other potential confounders in multiple regression analysis.
Conclusions:
- Microalbuminuria may serve as an early renal manifestation of a generalized vascular dysfunction in hypertensive individuals.
- The findings support the role of microalbuminuria as an integrated marker of cardiovascular risk.
- Early detection and management of microalbuminuria could be crucial in mitigating cardiovascular complications in hypertensive patients.
Objectives:
To evaluate, in a group of nondiabetic essential hypertensive patients with normal renal function, the relationship between albumin excretion rate (AER) and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), as an index of aortic stiffness.
Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Setting:
Outpatient hypertension clinic.
Subjects:
Seventy patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension, aged 42 +/- 8 years, never pharmacologically treated. All subjects underwent routine laboratory tests, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring, measurement of carotid-femoral PWV, by means of a computerized method, and AER.
Results:
Microalbuminuric patients (AER > or = 20 microg min(-1); n = 19), when compared with normoalbuminuric subjects, showed more elevated 24-h BP (136/88 +/- 10/10 vs. 128/83 +/- 7/6 mmHg; P < 0.001 and P = 0.013, for systolic and diastolic BP respectively) and higher values of carotid-femoral PWV (10.4 +/- 2 m s(-1) vs. 9.2 +/- 1.3; P = 0.006). This latter difference remained statistically significant, even after correction by ancova for 24-h systolic and diastolic BP, and body mass index (BMI, P = 0.016). Univariate regression analysis disclosed a tight correlation between AER and carotid-femoral PWV (r = 0.42; P = 0.0003). This association was confirmed in a multiple regression model (beta = 0.35; P = 0.009) in which, as independent variables, besides PWV, 24-h BP, age, serum glucose values, smoking status, gender and BMI, were added.
Conclusions:
Our results seem to confirm that microalbuminuria may represent the early renal manifestation of a widespread vascular dysfunction, and therefore it is an integrated marker of cardiovascular risk.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Hypertension and Regulation of Blood Pressure
01:30Hypertension III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
01:28Special considerations while measuring blood pressure
Monitoring Both Arms:
Monitoring BP in both arms during the initial assessment is advisable, as the systolic value may differ by five to ten mm Hg between arms. For subsequent BP assessments, use the arm with the higher reading.
01:29Hypertension II: Pathophysiology
01:23Assessment of blood pressure in brachial artery(two-step method)
01:30Blood Pressure
The average BP in an adult is typically around 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). In this measurement, the numerator (120) indicates the systolic pressure, which is the pressure in the arteries during the contraction of the heart's ventricles as blood is expelled. The denominator (80) represents the diastolic...