Higher blood pressure in elderly hypertensive females, with increased arterial stiffness and blood pressure in females with the Fibrillin-1 2/3 genotype

Abstract

Background: Elderly patients have a relatively high cardiovascular risk due to increased arterial stiffness, elevated blood pressure and decreased amounts of elastin in the arteries. The composition of the media layer in the arterial wall, comprising elastin, collagen, smooth muscle cells, proteoglycans, fibronectin and fibrillin-1, influences its mechanical properties. Mutations in the fibrillin-1 gene leads to increased aortic stiffness, elevated pulse pressure and aortic root dilatation. This study investigates whether there is a sex difference among hypertensive elderly patients regarding blood pressure, arterial stiffness and fibrillin-1 genotypes. Methods: A total of 315 hypertensive subjects (systolic blood pressure > 140 mmHg) were included in this study (155 men and 160 women aged 71-88 years). Aortic pulse wave velocity and augmentation index were determined using SphygmoCor, and brachial blood pressure was measured using an oscillometric technique. Fibrillin-1 was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction and with a capillary electrophoresis system. Results: Females showed a significantly higher peripheral mean arterial pressure (females; 107.20 mmHg, males 101.6 mmHg, p = 0.008), central mean arterial pressure (females; 107.2 mmHg, males 101.6 mmHg p = 0.008), central systolic blood pressure (females; 148.1 mmHg, males 139.2 mmHg, p < 0.001) and central pulse pressure (females; 68.9 mmHg, males 61.6 mmHg, p = 0.035) than males. Females with the Fibrillin-1 2/3 genotype showed a significantly higher augmentation index (FBN1 2/3; 39.9%, FBN1 2/2 35.0%, FBN1 2/4 35.8, p = 0.029) and systolic blood pressure (FBN1 2/3; 174.6 mmHg, FBN1 2/2168.9 mmHg, FBN1 2/4169.9 mmHg, p = 0.025) than females with the 2/2 and 2/4 genotypes. Conclusion: The findings of this study may indicate that hypertensive elderly females, especially elderly females with Fibrillin-1 2/3, have increased systolic blood pressure and arterial stiffness.

Association of TyG index and TG/HDL-C ratio with arterial stiffness progression in a non-normotensive population

“…Among hypertensive patients, arterial stiffness is a common vascular complication and is also an independent risk factor and predictor of other cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases [ 3 , 4 ], such as coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke. Therefore, it is of great importance to focus on the progression of arterial stiffness in the hypertensive population and identify the early related factors of arterial stiffness [ 5 – 7 ].…”

Biosocial predictors and blood pressure goal attainment among postmenopausal women with hypertension

“…The early return of the reflected pulse wave in late systole results from increased arterial stiffness and pulse wave velocity (PWV), which increases central pulse pressure, myocardial oxygen demand, and left ventricular workload. Hypertension and increased pulse pressure serve as two clinical indicators of decreased arterial distensibility (45,46). Women who do not have adequate blood pressure management may have a wide range of reasons, such as resistance to treatment and a history of conditions like diabetes or chronic renal disease, which are strongly associated with poorer blood pressure control.…”

Left colic artery diameter is an important factor affecting anastomotic blood supply in sigmoid colon cancer or rectal cancer surgery: a pilot study

“…This is consistent with the finding that male gender is a known risk factor for leakage [ 8 ]. Furthermore, the degree of arterial stiffness in young women has been found to be lower than that in age-matched men; this sex difference in arterial stiffness can be reversed with age [ 23 ]. This also explains why the MASP in female patients in our study was significantly higher than in male patients.…”