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Low-grade inflammation in white-coat hypertension.
Med Sci Monit. 2007 Dec;13(12):CR570-3
Authors: Ozdogan M, Bozcuk H, Coban E
BACKGROUND: C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of systemic low-grade inflammation, is frequently elevated in essential hypertension and predicts cardiovascular prognosis independently of conventional risk factors. The risk profile of white-coat hypertension is not yet completely clear. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) in white-coat hypertensive subjects. MATERIAL/METHODS: Thirty-six age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched white-coat hypertensive subjects, 36 essential hypertensive patients, and 36 normotensive subjects were included in the study. RESULTS: Hs-CRP levels were significantly higher in the essential hypertensive and white-coat hypertensive groups than in the normotensive group (0.66+/-0.29, 0.47+/-0.32, and 0.27+/-0.22 mg/dl, respectively, p<0.001). It was also higher in the essential hypertensive group than in the white-coat hypertensive group (p=0.014). CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that patients with white-coat hypertension have higher hs-CRP levels than normotensive patients and this may be an indication of increased risk.
PMID: 18049438 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]