Gender Differences in Selected Zinc Metabolism Parameters in Patients with Mild Primary Arterial Hypertension

Abstract

The relationship between selected zinc (Zn) metabolism parameters, arterial blood pressure, age, and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in subjects of both sexes with mild primary arterial hypertension is presented in this study. The following parameters were measured: systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure, total and ouabain-dependent efflux rate constants of Zn from lymphocytes, serum and lymphocyte Zn concentrations, serum aldosterone, angiotensin-converting enzyme, sodium and potassium concentrations, body mass index, and plasma rennin activity. When all subjects are taken into account, no significant age-related differences were found for serum Zn. If divided into men and women, negative (r = -0.39) and positive (r = 0.34) correlations are observed, respectively. Lymphocyte Zn correlated negatively with age in the entire group (r = -0.55) and also for men (r = -0.54) and women (r = -0.57). The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system parameters correlated with those of Zn metabolism only for women: plasma rennin activity with total Zn efflux from lymphocytes (r = -0.33) and with lymphocyte Zn (r = 0.71); the angiotensin-converting enzyme with total Zn efflux from lymphocytes (r = -0.35), with the ouabain-dependent Zn efflux from lymphocytes (r = -0.33) and with lymphocyte Zn (r = 0.57); serum aldosterone with ouabain-dependent Zn efflux from lymphocytes (r = -0.44) and with lymphocyte Zn (r = 0.59). For the men, the only positive correlation was that of serum Zn and aldosterone (r = 0.45). In all cases (men and women), there was no negative correlation between serum Zn and angiotensin-converting enzyme. In women, the diastolic blood pressure correlated negatively with total Zn efflux from lymphocytes (r = -0.39), ouabain-dependent Zn efflux from lymphocytes (r = -0.49), and serum Zn (r = -0.46); systolic blood pressure correlated negatively with lymphocyte zinc (r = -0.38). In men, the systolic blood pressure had a negative correlation with lymphocyte zinc (r = -0.32), which was also true for the entire group (r = -0.34). These results clearly show gender-related differences in Zn metabolism and indicate the need for further research to elucidate the possible causes of this phenomenon not only for Zn but for other elements as well.