Relationship between endothelium-dependent vasodilation and uric acid in essential hypertensive patients with LVH

Abstract

Objective: The relationship between uric acid (UA) and cardiovascular diseases remains controversial. Many studies showed that the level of uric acid is correlated with cardiovascular diseases. Objective: To investigate the relationship between Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and UA in essential hypertensive patients. Methods: Two hundred seventy-seven patients with mild to moderate hypertension were divided into two groups according to LVMI:hypertensives with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH, n=83), hypertensives without left ventricular hypertrophy (NLVH, n=194). 41 normotensives served as controls. LVH was determined by echocardiography. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was measured as the percentage change of brachial artery diameter during reactive hyperemia by using high-resolution ultrasound technique. Uric acid was determined by urease indophenol. Result: The occurrence of hyperuricemia (HUA) in essential hypertensives was higher, 40.1% in LVH group and 39.2% in NLVH group as compared in control group (17.1%); FMD was lower in EH group than in control group. FDM was lower in EH patients with HUA [(6.3±2.5)%] than those without HUA [(7.1±3.6)%]. FMD was lower in NLVH patients with HUA [(6.5±1.9)%] than those without HUA [(7.7±2.6)%]. There was no difference in FMD between hypertensives with LVH and hyperuricemia and those with normal uric acid. Correlation analysis showed that FDM was negatively correlated with uric acid, but uric acid was not included in regression equation. Conclusions: Uric acid correlated with the endothelial function in essential hypertensive patients with LVH.