Prognostic impact of fibrinogen in patients with resistant hypertension

In this study, we investigated the long-term prognostic effects of fibrinogen levels in patients with resistant hypertension. A total of 266 patients with resistant hypertension who had serum fibrinogen measurements and 5 years of follow-up information were retrospectively included in the study. The patients were stratified according to their fibrinogen levels, which were then divided into tertiles. Clinical outcomes for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were assessed at 5 years. MACE was defined as all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), non-fatal stroke, a new diagnosis of heart failure, or hospitalization for heart failure and peripheral arterial disease. The incidence of MACE at 5 years in patients with resistant hypertension was higher in the highest tertile of fibrinogen. Multivariate analysis identified fibrinogen as an independent predictor of MACE in patients with resistant hypertension (odds ratio = 1.002; 95% CI: 1.001-1.004; p = 0.009). Compared to the lowest tertile, MACE was approximately 2.5 times higher in tertile 2 and approximately 6.9 times higher in the highest tertile. Fibrinogen was able to predict MACE in patients with resistant hypertension (AUC for MACE 0.662 (95% CI 0.596-0.727; p < 0.001) based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. In the Kaplan-Meier curve showing follow-up without MACE (MACE-free) according to the fibrinogen cut-off value, the 5-year incidence of MACE was significantly higher in the high fibrinogen group (p < 0.001). Fibrinogen is a risk marker for MACE in patients with resistant hypertension. Antihypertensive therapy aimed at lowering fibrinogen levels may improve prognosis.