The Association Between Serum Activin A Levels and Hypertension in the Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From I-Lan Longitudinal Aging Study
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Yi-Lin Tsai1,2, Chun-Chin Chang1,2,3, Li-Kuo Liu4,5
1Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Insights
Higher serum activin A levels are linked to increased blood pressure in older adults. This finding suggests a potential role for activin A in hypertension management.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Science
- Endocrinology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
- Activin A, a TGF-β cytokine, influences blood pressure via the renin-angiotensin system.
- The precise role of activin A in blood pressure regulation requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between serum activin A levels and blood pressure in an aging population.
- To determine if elevated activin A is a biomarker for hypertension.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of 470 participants from the I-Lan longitudinal Aging Study (ILAS).
- Serum activin A levels measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
- Comparison of demographic characteristics, hypertensive status, and activin A levels between normotensive and hypertensive individuals.
Main Results:
- Hypertensive participants (50.2%) exhibited significantly higher serum activin A levels compared to normotensives (507 ± 169 vs. 554 ± 176 pg/ml, P < 0.001).
- Increasing tertiles of serum activin A were strongly associated with elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure, and pulse pressure (PP) (all P < 0.001).
- Adjusted analyses confirmed a significant association between serum activin A concentration and SBP (P = 0.02) and PP (P = 0.03).
Conclusions:
- Serum activin A levels are significantly associated with systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure.
- These findings suggest a potential link between activin A and hypertension.
- Further research is warranted to explore the causal relationship and clinical implications of activin A in blood pressure regulation.
Background:
Hypertension is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Activin A, a member of the transforming growth factor-β cytokine family, has been shown to regulate blood pressure through the renin-angiotensin system. However, the relationship between activin A and blood pressure remains uncertain. The objective of this study was to determine whether serum activin A levels are associated with blood pressure.
Method:
A total of 470 participants of I-Lan longitudinal Aging Study (ILAS) were eligible for this study. Serum levels of activin A were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cross-sectional analyses were performed, including comparisons of demographic characteristics, hypertensive status, and activin A levels.
Results:
Among the study participants (50% men, mean age, 69 years), 236 (50.2%) were hypertensive and 234 (49.8%) were normotensive. Hypertensive patients had significantly higher serum activin A levels than normotensives (normotensive vs. hypertensive: 507 ± 169 vs. 554 ± 176 pg/ml, mean ± SD, P < 0.001). All subjects were divided into 3 tertiles on the basis of serum activin A levels. Increasing tertiles of activin A were associated with higher systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure and pulse pressure (PP) (all P < 0.001). After adjusting for all the potential confounding factors, serum activin A concentration was still significantly associated with SBP (P = 0.02) and PP (P = 0.03).
Conclusions:
Serum activin A level was associated with SBP and PP. Further studies are required to assess their causal relationship and the clinical relevance.