Serum hepatocyte growth factor concentration is correlated with the forearm vasodilator response in hypertensive patients

To evaluate the clinical importance of serum hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) concentration, we designed two clinical investigations. The first study analyzed the correlation between serum HGF concentration and clinical arterial stiffness or the vasodilator response to reactive hyperemia in hypertensive patients. The second study investigated the correlation between changes in serum HGF concentration and clinical arterial stiffness or reactive hyperemia during treatment with cilazapril or atenolol. A total of 210 hypertensive patients were analyzed in the first study, and 25 patients with essential hypertension were evaluated in the second study. Pulse wave velocity (PWV), strain gauge plethysmography, and serum HGF concentration were measured in the first study. We also evaluated these factors before and after treatment with either cilazapril (2.0 mg/ day) or atenolol (25 mg/day) for 6 months in the second study. Serum HGF concentration was negatively correlated to reactive hyperemia in overall (r = 0.434, P <.0001) and nontreatment (r = 0.452, P <.0001) hypertensive patients. Arterial stiffness was weakly related to serum HGF concentration (P <.05) after adjusting for age and mean blood pressure (BP). By multiple regression analysis, only serum HGF concentration showed a strong independent correlation with reactive hyperemia, age and mean BP with PWV. Moreover, a relationship between endothelium-dependent vasodilation and serum HGF concentration was observed during treatment with cilazapril or atenolol (r = 0.406, P <.005). These results suggest that in evaluation of serum HGF concentration, the forearm vasodilator response to reactive hyperemia and PWV might be useful for managing hypertension in patients who are receiving antihypertensive therapy.