[Evaluation of selected endocrine parameters in smoking patients with arterial hypertension]

Among many actions of tobacco smoke very important is: metabolic influence and other biological effects e.g. hormones secretion. Results of research prove the influence of smoking on pancreatic and adrenal secretion and on the largest endocrine organ of human body - endothelium. The aim of the study was evaluation of selected endocrine parameters: insulin and aldosterone (Ald) concentration, plasma renin activity (ARO) and endothelin-1 concentration (ET-1) in smoking patients with arterial hypertension in comparison with hypertensive non-smokers. The examined group comprised 27 patients with essential hypertension (grade I and II). The group was divided into 2 subgroups: Subgroup A--smoking hypertensive patients (10 persons). Subgroup B--non-smokers with hypertension (17 persons). The significant differences between 2 subgroups were noticed as for the following parameters: a) insulin concentration - Me +/- P: in subgroup A: 20.75 +/- 13.4 v. in subgroup B: 10.5 +/- 9.67 microIU/ml, p = 0.023; b) Ald - Me +/- P: in subgroup A: 280 +/- 155.3 v. in subgroup B: 54.95 +/- 124.33 pg/ml, p = 0.045. The differences between 2 subgroups were non-significant as for the following parameters: c) ARO - Me +/- P: in subgroup A: 3.85 +/- 1.22 v. in subgroup B: 1.8 +/- 1.61 ng/ml/h, p = 0.127; d) ET-1- Me +/- P: in subgroup A: 58.58 +/- 23.14 v. in subgroup B: 59.93 +/- 12.55 pg/ml, p = 0.901. Tobacco smoking affects many hormonal parameters. In patients with essential hypertension we observed significantly higher insulin and aldosterone concentration in the subgroup of smokers in comparison with nonsmokers.