INFLUENCE OF NONHEMODYNAMIC FACTORS ON THE MICROCIRCULATION IN MODERATE ARTERIAL ESSENTIAL-HYPERTENSION

This study is aimed at examining the role of non-hemodynamic factors on the impaired microcirculation in patients with moderate essential hypertension. In a series of 31 patients (mean age, 47.8 +/- 1.1 years) with newly diagnosed untreated moderate essential hypertension (mean systolic blood pressure 161.7 +/- 2.0 mm Hg, mean diastolic blood pressure 102.4 +/- 1.5 mm Hg), parameters of the capillaroscopic examination of the finger microcirculation (mean number of capillaries, NRCAP), length of the capillaries (LECAP, mu-m), diameter-mu-m) of the efferent (EFDI) and afferent (AFDI) apillaries, and mean red blood cell velocity (RBCV, mu-m/sec), which was measured by the flying spot technique, were correlated with a number of hormones (sampled after an overnight fast) including: plasma renin activity, aldosterone, and parathyroid hormone (PTH). A significant correlation (P < .05) could be obtained between several parameters of the microcirculation and PTH: PTH (23.8 +/- 1.4 pg/mL) - NRCAP (14.9 +/- 0.5): r = -0.440, P = .013; PTH - AFDI (4.0 +/- 0.5-mu-m): r = 0.442, P = .012; PTH - EFDI (2.8 +/- 0.5-mu-m): r = 0.416, P = .019; PTH - RBCV (711 +/- 69-mu-m/sec): r = -0.351, P .05. Furthermore, 24-h urinary norepinephrine (U-NOR) and afferent and efferent diameter of the capillaries intercorrelated significantly: U-NOR (46.0 +/- 6.2-mu-g/24 h) - AFDI: r = 0.439, P = .034; U-NOR - EFDI; r = 0.462, P = .025. This study shows that in patients with moderate essential arterial hypertension nonhemodynamic factors have an influence at the level of the microcirculation.