Biomarkers of lipid peroxidation related to hypertension in aging

The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the influence of aging on the levels of lipid peroxidation (quantified as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) content), lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH), hexanoyl lysine (HEL), 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and determine their relationships to the demographic and cardiovascular risk factors in elderly hypertensive (HT) patients. This study consisted of four groups: two elderly groups with 30 HT patients (11 males, 19 females) and 30 normotensive healthy volunteers (15 males, 15 females), and two young groups with 30 HT patients (13 males, 17 females) and 30 normotensive healthy volunteers (12 males, 18 females). In the elderly control group, the TBARS, LOOH, HEL and 8-iso-PGF2α levels, and the carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) were significantly higher than in the young control group. The TBARS, LOOH, HEL and 8-iso-PGF2α levels and the CIMT measurements were significantly higher in the elderly HT group than in the young HT group. In addition, the TAC levels were significantly lower in the elderly and young HT groups than in the elderly and young control groups. The CIMT was significantly positively correlated with TBARS (r=0.40, P<0.001), HEL (r= 0.30, P=0.001), LOOH (r= 0.44, P<0.001) and 8-iso-PGF2α (r= 0.32, P<0.001) in all of the HT groups. It seems that in elderly patients, the LOOH and TBARS are better biomarkers of lipid peroxidation in hypertension in terms of sensitivity. In all of the HT groups, 8-iso-PGF2α had the highest sensitivity. Hypertension is associated with lipid peroxidation due to an impaired oxidant/antioxidant status. Increased lipid peroxidation and decreased antioxidants with aging indicate that peroxidative damage further increases with higher blood pressure and the aging process.