THE STATE OF ELASTIC PROPERTIES OF ARTERIES IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC PANCREATITIS IN COMBINATION WITH ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION

Abstract

Objective: Arterial stiffness is considered to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular events. Factors associated with increased arterial stiffness in patients with hypertension continue to be actively studied. The aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of chronic pancreatitis is associated with arterial stiffness in patients with hypertension. Design and method: 110 patients aged 45–65 years with chronic pancreatitis were examined. The first group consisted of patients with a combined course of chronic pancreatitis with arterial hypertension; the second group - patients with chronic pancreatitis without concomitant hypertension. All patients were examined for blood lipids. Arterial stiffness was determined by the pulse wave velocity. Results: The level of brachial artery augmentation index was significantly lower by 43% in patients with chronic pancreatitis in combination with arterial hypertension, while the aortic augmentation index was significantly higher by 37.6% (p < 0.01). It was found that patients of the 1st group had a significantly higher pulse wave velocity in the carotid-femoral segment in comparison with 2nd group - 9.3 [8.5;9.7] and 8.6 [8.1;8.9] respectively (p < 0.01). Significant correlations have been established between the brachial artery augmentation index and age, total cholesterol, atherogenic ratio, high and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, cardiovascular risk level by the SCORE scale – r = 0.39; p < 0.01; r = 0.31; p < 0.01 r = 0.34; p < 0.01; r = 0.36; p < 0.01; r = 0.42; p < 0.01; r = 0.43; p < 0.01; r = 0.36; p < 0.01 respectively. Conclusions: The presence of chronic panreatitis is associated with increased arterial stiffness in patients with hypertension.