THE PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF THE AUGMENTATION INDEX IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Background: Methotrexate (MTX) treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with lower cardiovascular risk compared to other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). We sought to identify whether the MTX-associated cardioprotection involves changes in blood pressure (BP) and/or arterial function. Methods: Clinic and 24-hour peripheral and central systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP), augmentation index (AIx), pulse wave velocity (PWV) and plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) were assessed in RA patients on stable treatment with either MTX ± other DMARDs (MTX group, n = 56, age 61 ± 13 years, 70% females) or other DMARDs (non-MTX group, n = 30, age 63 ± 12 years, 76% females). Measurements were performed at baseline and after 8 months. Results: After adjusting for visit, age, gender, body mass index, folic acid use and 28-joint disease activity score, the MTX group had significantly lower clinic peripheral SBP (−7.7 mmHg, 95% CI −13.2 to −2.3, p = 0.006) and DBP (−6.1 mmHg, 95% CI −9.8 to −2.4, p = 0.001) and clinic central SBP (−7.8 mmHg, 95% CI −13.1 to −2.6, p = 0.003) and DBP (−5.4 mmHg, 95% CI −9.1 to −1.6, p = 0.005) versus the non-MTX group. Furthermore, the MTX group had significantly lower 24-hour peripheral and central SBP and DBP and PWV versus the non-MTX group ( p < 0.01 for all comparisons). By contrast, there were no significant between-group differences in AIx and ADMA. Conclusions: RA patients on MTX treatment had significantly lower clinic and 24-hour peripheral and central BP compared to those who did not take MTX. The lower BP with MTX may be related to differences in PWV, but not in AIx or ADMA concentrations. Further longitudinal studies including randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm these findings, to identify other possible mechanisms responsible for the effects of MTX on BP and PWV, and to establish whether these effects might account for the reduced cardiovascular risk with MTX.

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Parameters of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients with and without subclinical carotid atherosclerosis

Arterial’naya Gipertenziya (Arterial Hypertension) ◽

10.18705/1607-419x-2021-27-4-427-435 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 427-435

Author(s):

V. E. Gumerova ◽

S. A. Sayganov ◽

V. V. Gomonova

Keyword(s):

Arterial Stiffness ◽

Pulse Pressure ◽

Augmentation Index ◽

Subclinical Atherosclerosis ◽

Stiffness Index ◽

Control Group ◽

Hypertensive Patients ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Arterial Stiffness Index ◽

Plaque Detection

Objective. To assess the relationship between arterial stiffness parameters in hypertensive patients with and without atherosclerotic lesions.Design and methods. We included 127 subjects who were divided into 3 groups: patients with hypertension (HTN) without atherosclerosis (n = 42); patients with HTN and subclinical atherosclerosis (SА) (n = 52) and control group which consisted of individuals without HTN, SA, or coronary artery disease (n = 33). All groups matched by age and gender. All subjects underwent following examinations: ultrasonography of extracranial segments of carotid arteries, 24-hour blood pressure monitoring with the assessment of arterial stiffness parameters.Results. In subjects with HTN compared to controls, pulse wave velocity in aorta (PWVao) was significantly higher (11,3 ± 1,5; 12,3 ± 1,8 vs 10,4 ± 1,3 m/s; p < 0,05), as well as pulse pressure (PP) (46,4 ± 9,8; 45,6 ± 10,6 vs 39,9 ± 6,5 mmHg; p < 0,05), central pulse pressure (PPао) (35,5 ± 8,5; 34,9 ± 8,5 vs 30,9 ± 5,4 mmHg; p < 0,05), and arterial stiffness index (ASI) (141 (127, 159); 139 (128,5, 160,5) vs 126 (118, 138) mmHg; p < 0,05). In subjects with HTN and SA, PWVao was significantly higher compared to other groups (p < 0,05). No significant difference in augmentation index was found (–32,5 (–45, –12); –22 (–36, –12); –37 (–50, –17); p = 0,25). Аmbulatory arterial stiffness index was higher in controls (0,5 ± 0,2) compared to HTN group (0,4 ± 0,2; p = 0,05), while HTN and SA group did not differ significantly (0,5 ± 0,2; p = 0,3). PWVao above 11,15 m/s is associated with 4,3 (2,3–8,2) times higher rate of atherosclerosis plaque detection.Conclusions. In HTN patients, arterial stiffness is changed compared to healthy individuals. PWVao above 11,15 m/s is associated with 4,3 (2,3–8,2) times higher rate of atherosclerosis plaque detection. In patients with HTN and SA arterial stiffness is higher, which might have additional predictive value in risk stratification.

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PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF VISIT-TO-VISIT VARIABILITY IN SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE ON CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH DIABETES

Journal of Hypertension ◽

10.1097/01.hjh.0000573816.30979.eb ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 ◽

pp. e301-e302

Author(s):

M. Deljanin Ilic ◽

S. Stojanovic ◽

S. Ilic ◽

D. Petrovic ◽

B. Ilic ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Systolic Blood Pressure ◽

Cardiovascular Events ◽

Prognostic Value ◽

Hypertensive Patients ◽

Patients With Diabetes

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Prognostic value of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients: A meta‐analysis of electrocardiographic studies

Journal of Clinical Hypertension ◽

10.1111/jch.13795 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 254-260 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Hongsheng Zhang ◽

Lingai Hu ◽

Xiqing Wei

Keyword(s):

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy ◽

Prognostic Value ◽

Ventricular Hypertrophy ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Hypertensive Patients

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Nebivolol reduces central blood pressure in stage I hypertensive patients: experimental single cohort study

Sao Paulo Medical Journal ◽

10.1590/1516-3180.2014.1325704 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 132 (5) ◽

pp. 290-296 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Renan Oliveira Vaz-de-Melo ◽

Luiz Tadeu Giollo-Júnior ◽

Débora Dada Martinelli ◽

Heitor Moreno-Júnior ◽

Marco Antônio Mota-Gomes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Antihypertensive Drugs ◽

Augmentation Index ◽

Stage I ◽

Central Blood Pressure ◽

Hypertensive Patients ◽

Before And After ◽

Β Blocker ◽

Single Cohort

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVES: Assessment of central blood pressure (BP) has grown substantially over recent years because evidence has shown that central BP is more relevant to cardiovascular outcomes than peripheral BP. Thus, different classes of antihypertensive drugs have different effects on central BP despite similar reductions in brachial BP. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of nebivolol, a β-blocker with vasodilator properties, on the biochemical and hemodynamic parameters of hypertensive patients.DESIGN AND SETTING: Experimental single cohort study conducted in the outpatient clinic of a university hospital.METHODS: Twenty-six patients were recruited. All of them underwent biochemical and hemodynamic evaluation (BP, heart rate (HR), central BP and augmentation index) before and after 3 months of using nebivolol.RESULTS: 88.5% of the patients were male; their mean age was 49.7 ± 9.3 years and most of them were overweight (29.6 ± 3.1 kg/m2) with large abdominal waist (102.1 ± 7.2 cm). There were significant decreases in peripheral systolic BP (P = 0.0020), diastolic BP (P = 0.0049), HR (P < 0.0001) and central BP (129.9 ± 12.3 versus 122.3 ± 10.3 mmHg; P = 0.0083) after treatment, in comparison with the baseline values. There was no statistical difference in the augmentation index or in the biochemical parameters, from before to after the treatment.CONCLUSIONS: Nebivolol use seems to be associated with significant reduction of central BP in stage I hypertensive patients, in addition to reductions in brachial systolic and diastolic BP.

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