ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: High blood pressure in hypertensive smokers is affected by nicotine consumption. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of smoking cessation treatments on blood pressure in hypertensive smokers. METHODS: A total of 113 hypertensive smokers on antihypertensives during smoking cessation treatment in the randomized controlled trial GENTSMOKING were considered for analysis. At Baseline (T0) and Week 12 (T12), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), and heart rate (HR) were measured using a semi-automated digital oscillometric device. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and delta differences for SBP, DBP, HR, and MAP were calculated. Smoking cessation was confirmed by measuring carbon monoxide (CO) in exhaled air. RESULTS: After 12 weeks of treatment, 72 participants ceased smoking (cessation group) and 41 did not (no cessation group). At T0, there was no statistically meaningful difference between groups with respect to age, body mass index, CO, and daily cigarette consumption. At T12, daily cigarette consumption and CO had decreased in both groups (p<0.001). The cessation group showed decreased SBP (131 ± 2 vs 125 ± 2 mmHg, p=0.004), DBP (79 ± 1 vs 77 ± 1 mmHg, p=0.031), MAP (96 ± 1 vs 93 ± 1 mmHg, p=0.005), and HR (79 ± 1 vs 74 ± 1 beats/min, p=0.001), and increased body weight (77.4 ± 2.1 vs 79.2 ± 2.2 kg, p<0.001). No significant differences were seen for these variables in the no cessation group. Decrease in blood pressure was significantly higher among hypertensive participants with SBP ≥130 mmHg: SBP (145 ± 2 vs 132 ± 2 mmHg, p<0.001), DBP (85 ± 2 vs 80 ± 1 mmHg, p=0.002), MAP (105 ± 1 vs 97 ± 1 mmHg, p<0.001), and HR (81 ± 2 vs 74 ± 2 beats/min, p=0.002). A positive correlation was found between HR and CO (r=0.34; p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Smoking cessation treatment reduced blood pressure in hypertensive smokers, allowing them to reach therapeutic targets for hypertension management. Smoking cessation has a positive impact on hypertension treatment; therefore, it should be encouraged in clinical practice. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: NCT03362099.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: most hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) patients are homozygous for the p.C282Y mutation in the HFE gene. Some studies reported that HH phenotypic expression could be modulated by genetic factors such as HJV and HAMP gene mutations. AIMS: the aims of this study were to identify HJV and HAMP mutations and to analyze their impact on HH phenotype in non-p.C282Y homozygous individuals. METHODS: Twenty-four Brazilian patients with primary iron overload and non-p.C282Y homozygous genotype (transferrin saturation >50% in women and >60% in men and absence of secondary causes) were selected. Subsequent bidirectional sequencing of the HJV and HAMP exons was performed. RESULTS: sequencing revealed a substitution in heterozygosis, c.929C > G, which corresponds to p.A310G polymorphism in HJV exon 4 (rs7540883). In the same gene, in another individual, an IVS1-36C > G intronic variant was detected in heterozygosis. In the HAMP gene, an IVS3 + 42G > A intronic variant was identified. There were six (25.0%) patients carrying a heterozygous genotype for the HFE p.C282Y and nine (37.5%) patients carrying a heterozygous genotype for the HFE p.H63D. CONCLUSION: HJV p.A310G polymorphism and two intronic variants were found, but none of these alterations were associated with digenic inheritance with the HFE gene. Our data indicate that HJV and HAMP functional mutations are not frequent in these patients.
