ABSTRACT
The aim of our study was to investigate, whether masked hypertension (MH) and sustained hypertension (HT) are associated with alteration of resting skin blood flow and flowmotion. Subjects recruited to the study were assigned to three groups according to the results of blood pressure (BP) measurements. Resting blood flow (RF) and an index of cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC), were measured by Laser Doppler Flowmetry (LDF). Total power of the studied interval and five subintervals related to: endothelium, sympathetic, myogenic, respiration and heart activity, were analyzed. Serum glucose, sodium level, lipid profile, as well as insulin, endothelin and norepinephrine levels were measured. The study population consisted of 82 persons: 29 NT, 17 MH and 36 HT. There were no differences between the study groups with respect to age and gender, but they significantly differed with respect to body mass index (p=0.04) and waist circumference (p=0.02), triglyceride levels (p=0.04; highest in HT group), norepinephrine levels (p=0.01; highest in MH group). RF as well as CVC RF were similar in NT, MH and HT groups. Power spectrum of sympathetic origin was significantly different in the study groups (p=0.03), with highest values in MH group. Moreover, the subjects with MH revealed increased power spectrum of myogenic activity, both absolute (p=0.05) and relative (p=0.08). Daytime systolic BP was the most consistent predictor of sympathetic and myogenic origin of elevated skin blood flowmotion in multiple regression models. Our findings suggest that subjects with MH revealed altered microcirculation with elevated resting flowmotion of sympathetic and myogenic origin.
