THE PROLACTIN MAY BE A SENSITIVE MARKER FOR MENOPAUSAL HYPERTENSIVE WOMEN WITH LEFT VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore the relationship between the level of prolactin (PRL) and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in postmenopausal women with hypertension. Design and method: A total of 128 menopausal women with hypertension were divided into hypertension with LVH group (n = 63, group 1) and hypertension without LVH group (n = 65, group 2). Selected healthy people matched the age, menopausal time with group 1 and group 2 as a control group (n = 57, group 3). Blood pressure, blood biochemistry, sexual hormones, including PRL were measured in these three groups. At the same time, echocardiography recorded the parameters including left atrial diameter (LAD), left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDd), interventricular septal thickness (IVST), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and early diastolic mitral flow velocity (E) and systolic mitral flow velocity (A) ratio (E /A). central artery blood pressure and cervical -femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) were also measured. A statistical analysis was performed to compare the differences in these parameters among the three groups. Results: There was no significant difference in age and menopausal time among this three groups (P > 0.05). The body mass index (BMI) in the hypertension with LVH group was significantly higher than that of hypertension without LVH group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in estradiol, testosterone and progesterone among three groups (P > 0.05), but the PRL in the hypertension with LVH group was lower significantly than those of without LVH group (P < 0.05). In hypertension with LVH group, there were significantly higher in LAD, IVST and LVPWT compare with hypertension without LVH group. The cf-PWV in hypertension with LVH group were significantly higher than that of hypertension without LVH (P < 0.05). It was shown that the degree of decline in PRL was positively correlated with LVH in menopausal hypertensive women (P < 0.05). Conclusions: After menopause, the decline in PRL may be a more sensitive marker rather than other sexual hormones for menopausal hypertensive women with LVH.