Relationship between calcitrophic hormones and blood pressure in elderly subjects

The relationship between calcitrophic hormones and blood pressure has been investigated in 583 elderly subjects who were untreated for hypertension. Univariate analysis demonstrated that serum parathyroid hormone, calcitriol, albumin and calcium were correlated significantly with mean blood pressure (r = +0.15, +0.10, +0.14 and +0.11, respectively), as were body mass index and age (r = +0.19 and +0.10, respectively). Parathyroid hormone also was correlated positively with both age and calcitriol (r = +0.34 and +0.15, respectively) and negatively with plasma calcium and albumin (r = -0.09 and -0.09, respectively). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that when allowing for age and body mass index, parathyroid hormone and calcitriol were both significant independent determinants of the mean blood pressure. When other independent variables were included in the analysis, parathyroid hormone but not calcitriol remained a significant predictor of mean blood pressure. This study has demonstrated a weak but significant relationship between blood pressure and calcitrophic hormones in a group of elderly people. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that hypertension may be due in part to calcium deficiency.