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Plasma galectin-3 concentrations in patients with primary aldosteronism
T N A Daniëlle van den Berg1, Wouter C Meijers, A Rogier T Donders
1aDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology bDepartment of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen cDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen dDepartment for Health Evidence eDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Journal of Hypertension
|April 14, 2017
Summary
Plasma galectin-3 (Gal-3) is not elevated in primary aldosteronism patients compared to essential hypertension (EHT) and does not decrease after adrenalectomy. This suggests Gal-3 does not mediate aldosterone-induced cardiovascular risk.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Primary aldosteronism (PA) patients exhibit higher cardiovascular event rates than essential hypertension (EHT) patients, despite similar blood pressure.
- Aldosterone may have direct detrimental cardiovascular effects, with galectin-3 (Gal-3) implicated in aldosterone-induced myocardial fibrosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare plasma Gal-3 concentrations in PA patients versus EHT patients.
- To assess the reversibility of plasma Gal-3 levels after adrenalectomy in PA patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study including 78 PA patients, 39 post-adrenalectomy PA patients, and 56 EHT patients.
- Plasma Gal-3 levels measured and compared using ANCOVA, adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors, creatinine, potassium, and alcohol intake.
- Paired samples analyzed in 11 patients pre- and post-adrenalectomy.
Main Results:
- Adjusted plasma Gal-3 concentrations were similar across PA (11.39 ± 0.60 ng/ml), post-adrenalectomy PA (11.64 ± 0.81 ng/ml), and EHT (11.41 ± 0.73 ng/ml) groups (P=0.95).
- In paired samples, mean Gal-3 increased significantly post-adrenalectomy (10.03 ± 1.67 ng/ml pre vs. 14.36 ± 2.07 ng/ml post; P<0.01).
Conclusions:
- Plasma Gal-3 concentrations are not elevated in PA patients compared to EHT patients.
- Gal-3 levels do not decrease after adrenalectomy in PA patients.
- These findings do not support a role for plasma Gal-3 in the increased cardiovascular risk associated with primary aldosteronism.