[PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ENDOTHELIN-I LEVEL IN PATIENTS WITH ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION DIFFERING IN VITAMIN D...

The aim of the study was to measure blood vitamin D (25(OH)D) and endothelin-1 levels by enzyme immunoassay and estimate their relation to results of 24-hr arterial pressure monitoring (APM) in patients with arterial hypertension differing in vitamin D level. The study included 144 patients with grade II AH (114 women of mean aged 50.8 ± 6 yr and 30 men of mean age 46 ± 6 yr). They were divided into 3 groups depending on the total 25(OH)D level. Group I was comprised of patients with 25(OH)D deficiency (below 20 ng/ml), group 2 included patients with 25(OH) D insufficiency (20-30 ng/ml), group 3 consisted of patients with optimal 25(OH)D level (over 39 ng/ml). Mean total 25(OH)D and endothelin-1 levels were 24.87 [17.03;34.07] ng/ml and 0.54 [0.38;0.63]pg/ml respectively The patients of groups 1 and 2, but not group 3 showed positive correlations between the following APM characteristics: mean systolic/diastolic arterial pressure (SAP/DAP) and SAP/DAP time index during 24 hours, day- and night-time; SAP/DAP variability at night-time and endothelin-1 level. The endothelin-1 level 10.51 pg/ml or higher measured with a sensitivity of 8% allows to predict, regardless of the 25(OH)D level, the superthreshold values of the following APM parameters: mean daily SAP/DAP during 24 hours, day- and night-time, SAP/DAP time index during 24 hours and daytime, enhanced SAP/DAP variability at night-time, DAP at daytime.