Assessment of vascular inflammation and subclinical nephropathy in exaggerated blood pressure response to exercise test

Exaggerated blood pressure response (EBPR) to exercise tests is an additional cardiovascular risk factor and predictor of future development of hypertension. However, there are conflicting data on the diagnostic threshold of EBPR and its clinical importance in kidney disease. The aim of this study was to investigate vascular inflammation and subclinical nephropathy in otherwise healthy volunteers with EBPR.

The study included 170 middle-aged, healthy volunteers (mean age: 43.3±6.9; range: 35-65 years: 100 men and 70 women). Participants performed a treadmill exercise test until they reached their age-adjusted maximum heart rate and were divided into EBPR and normal/physiological blood pressure response groups. Before exercise tests, serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio were measured to evaluate vascular inflammation and subclinical nephropathy, respectively. Anthropometrical measurements, fasting serum glucose, fasting lipid profile, and the full blood count of participants were also evaluated.

EBPR was detected in 31 (18.2%) participants. Hs-CRP levels (1.03 vs. 0.46 mg/l) (P<0.001) and albumin-to-creatinine ratio levels (6.90 vs. 5.22 mg/g) (P=0.002) were higher in the EBPR group. BMI, abdominal obesity, and hs-CRP levels were found to be related to increased development of EBPR.

EBPR is an overlooked clinical finding during exercise tests and should be evaluated in apparently healthy, middle-aged populations for the early detection of possible subclinical nephropathy.