relation between the serum hepatocyte growth factor and carotid atherosclerosis in Egyptian patients with essential hypertension

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the serum hepatocyte growth factor [HGF] and carotid intima media thickness [IMT] in Egyptian hypertensive and non-hypertensive subjects. The study revealed a highly significant increase in serum HGF and IMT in hypertensive patients compared with non-hypertensive subjects. There was a significant positive correlation between the carotid IMT and the mean duration of hypertension, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, smoking, age, sex, serum total cholesterol, serum triglycerides, serum low density lipoprotein and serum HGF, with significant negative correlation with serum high density lipoprotein in hypertensive patients. In hypertensive patients, there was a significant positive correlation between serum HGF and age, sex, mean duration of hypertension, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, smoking, serum total cholesterol, serum triglycerides, serum low density lipoprotein and IMT, with a significant negative correlation with serum high density lipoprotein. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors are recommended to be used in the treatment of hypertension as they improve endothelial dysfunction by stimulating the local production of hepatocyte growth factor leading to inhibition of neointimal formation