Correlation of serum uric acid level with carotid plaques and arterial stiffness in patients with essential hypertension / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM:To study the correlation of serum uric acid ( UA) level with carotid plaques and arterial stiff-ness in the patients with essential hypertension ( EH) , and to explore the predictive value of serum UA for evaluating EH preclinically .METHODS:A total of 92 patients with EH and 30 healthy individuals were enrolled .The value of UA and other indicators were detected .B-mode ultrasound examination was performed to measure the common carotid artery intima -media thickness ( IMT) and the sites of plaque in the internal carotid-artery, external carotid artery and carotid bifurca-tions.Carotid-femoral arterial pulse wave velocity ( CFPWV) was assessed by Complior?atherosclerosis measurement in-strument.RESULTS:The serum level of UA in the patients with EH was higher than that in control group [(361.51 ± 83.81) μmol/L vs (317.03 ±62.22) μmol/L, P<0.05].The mean value and abnormal rate of IMT between hyperten-sion group and control group were significant difference [(0.69 ±0.14) mm vs (0.60 ±0.12) mm, 42.39%vs 10.00%, P<0.05].In 92 EH patients, 45 cases had carotid plaques .These 45 cases were divided into 3 groups according to the plaque severity, among which the serum UA level had statistically significant differences [(285.25 ±78.41) μmol/L, (341.19 ±63.99) μmol/L and (401.33 ±88.49) μmol/L, P<0.05].Compared with rigid plaque group ( n=34), the serum UA level in soft plaque group (n=11) was significantly higher [(389.00 ±69.45) μmol/L vs (323.03 ± 72.71) μmol/L, P<0.05].A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that age ( r=0.414), systolic blood pressure (r=0.224), pulse pressure (r=0.270) and uric acid (r=0.219) were predisposed factors for higher CFP-WV (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:UA is one of the risk factors causing hypertension .Serum UA level may reflect the sever-ity and stability of carotid plaques .The increased arterial stiffness is closely related to the increased serum UA level in EH .