Auto-Immune Cardiac Degeneration as a Complication of Essential Hypertension

Abstract

Essential hypertension is persistent high blood pressure in the systemic arteries with no identifiable secondary cause. The study was designed to assess auto-immune cardiac degeneration in essential hypertensive patients in Ekiti State. The study included 40 subjects with no history of hypertension (control), 40 hypertensive subjects undergoing treatment and 40 hypertensive subjects without treatment. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) readings were taken using digital sphygmomanometer, Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) was measured using spectrophotometer, Cardiac Troponin (CTnI) and Anti-mitochondrial antibody M7 (AMA-M7) were estimated using ELISA. Results obtained were expressed as mean ± SD and statistical analysis was done using SPSS. Values were statistically significant at p<0.05. The results obtained showed that BMI and DBP of treated hypertensive patient was insignificant when compared with control subjects (p>0.05), whereas SBP, AST, AMA-M7 and CTnI were significantly higher (p<0.05) in treated hypertensive patients compared with the control subjects. Similarly, BMI, SBP, DBP, AMA-M7, AST and CTnI of untreated hypertensive patient were significantly higher (p<0.05) compared with non-hypertensive subjects (control). Furthermore, BMI, SBP, DBP, AMA-M7, AST and CTnI were significantly lower (p<0.05) in treated hypertensive patient compared with untreated hypertensive subjects. In conclusion, AMA-M7 is more sensitive marker in detecting auto-immune cardiac degeneration faster than the routine serum AST and Cardiac Troponin I in indicating the functional state of the heart. Therefore, early detection of auto-immune cardiac degeneration in hypertension subjects is important as there is a link between autoimmunity and hypertension.