Thromboxane in complicated and uncomplicated hypertension

ABSTRACT

This work comprised 77 hypertensive patients as well as 14 healthy normotensive age matched subjects as a control group. They were categorized into uncomplicated hypertension [group I], hypertension complicated by coronary artery disease [group II], and hypertension complicated by acute cerebral infarction [group III]. They were submitted to full clinical assessment, ECG, abdominal sonography, routine laboratory investigations, plasma renin activity, plasma thromboxane B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha. Echocardiography and CT brain scan were done whenever indicated. 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha level was significantly reduced in group I, while thromboxane B2 level showed no difference, however, the ratio TXB2/6.K.PGF1 alpha was significantly higher when compared with controls. In hypertensive patients complicated by coronary artery disease [group II] while both thromboxane B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha levels showed no significant difference compared with either controls or group I, the ratio TXB2/6.K.PGF1 was significantly higher. In hypertensive patients complicated by cerebral infarction [group III] both thromboxane B2 level and the ratio TXB2/6.K.PGF1 alpha level were significantly higher when compared with either controls, group I or group II patients. However, 6.K.PGF1 alpha showed no significant difference when compared with these groups. In the three studied groups both TXB2 and 6.K.PGF1 alpha were positively correlated with either systolic, diastolic or mean blood pressure. Also, TXB2 and 6.K.PGF1 alpha levels were positively correlated to each other. In this study, the plasma renin activity showed no significant difference between the controls and any of the three studied groups