Related Experiment Videos
Haemorheology in adolescent hypertensives
1Medizinische Klinik Merheim, Universität zu Köln, Federal Republic of Germany.
Insights
Young adults with borderline hypertension show increased erythrocyte deformability and elevated urinary catecholamines. This suggests early vascular changes in hypertension, impacting red blood cell function.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Hematology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Borderline hypertension in adolescents can predict future cardiovascular disease.
- Early detection of physiological changes is crucial for understanding hypertension development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate erythrocyte deformability and catecholamine levels in young adults with borderline hypertension.
- To identify potential early markers of hypertension in adolescents.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal epidemiological study involving adolescents aged 23-27 years.
- Measurement of blood pressure, erythrocyte deformability using a positive pressure filter system, whole blood viscosity, hematocrit, plasma fibrinogen, plasma catecholamines, and urinary catecholamines.
- Comparison between untreated borderline hypertensives and normotensives.
Main Results:
- Hypertensives exhibited significantly increased erythrocyte deformability (1.77 vs. 1.64, P < 0.05).
- Elevated urinary catecholamine excretion was observed in hypertensives (155.0 vs. 100.7 µg/24h, P < 0.001).
- No significant differences were found in blood viscosity, hematocrit, or plasma fibrinogen.
Conclusions:
- Borderline hypertension in young adults is associated with altered erythrocyte deformability and increased sympathetic nervous system activity.
- These findings suggest early microcirculatory and neuroendocrine changes in the development of hypertension.
- Erythrocyte deformability may serve as an early indicator of vascular dysfunction in hypertensive individuals.
Abstract:
Fifty-three untreated borderline hypertensives and 73 normotensives were randomly selected from 1342 adolescents (age range 23-27 years) who were examined in 1975, 1976 and 1980 in an epidemiological study. Blood pressure was 127.2 +/- 1.0/79.0 +/- 0.8 mmHg in normotensives and 147.2 +/- 1.6/93.7 +/- 1.1 mmHg in hypertensives (P < 0.001). Erythrocyte deformability was measured with a positive pressure filter system (pore diameter 5 microns) at 37 degrees C. Erythrocyte deformability was significantly increased in hypertensives with a value of 1.77 +/- 0.05, compared with 1.64 +/- 0.04 in normotensives (P < 0.05). No difference in apparent whole blood viscosity, haematocrit and plasma fibrinogen was measurable between the groups. Although plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline concentration at rest and after 3 min standing were not different, excretion of urinary catecholamines was significantly elevated in hypertensives with 155.0 +/- 3.3 micrograms/24 h (normotensives: 100.7 +/- 5.3 micrograms/24 h; P < 0.001).