Circulating levels of relaxin and its relation to cardiovascular function in patients with hypertension

Figures & data

Figure 1. Relaxin levels in patients with hypertension and controls.

Table I. Clinical and biochemical characteristics of the study groups.

	Control (n=40)	Hypertension (n=42)	p
Age (years)	47±8.6	47.8±10	0.7
Male (%)	72	57	0.1
Body mass index (kg/m^2)	29.1±4.1	30±5	0.35
Smoking (%)	25	28	0.45
Systolic BP (mmHg)	119±10	160±15	0.0001
Diastolic BP (mmHg)	77±8	94±10	0.0001
Pulse pressure (mmHg)	42±6	64±14	0.0001
Heart rate (beats/min)	68±9	72±12	0.13
Total cholesterol (mg/dl)	197±37	212±37	0.08
Triglyceride (mg/dl)	176±92	191±154	0.6
LDL‐cholesterol (mg/dl)	128±31	150±81	0.1
HDL‐cholesterol (mg/dl)	47±15	53±17	0.1
Glucose (mg/dl)	95.3±28	92±15	0.6
Hemoglobin (g/dl)	14.2±1.2	14±1.7	0.7
Creatinine (mg/dl)	0.87±0.1	0.83±0.1	0.3
Relaxin (pg/ml)	49.7±39.8	36.5±7.3	0.03

BP, blood pressure; LDL, low‐density lipoprotein; HDL, digh‐density lipoprotein.

Table II. Pulse wave analysis and velocity in the study groups.

	Normotensive (n=40)	Hypertension (n=42)	p
Central aortic pressure
Systolic (mmHg)	108±11	140±15	0.0001
Diastolic (mmHg)	78±8	93±11	0.0001
Pulse pressure (mmHg)	30±6	48±13	0.0001
AP (mmHg)	6±4.3	12.2±7.8	0.0001
AIx (%)	18±11	24±11	0.02
AIx@75 (%)	15±11	22.7±10	0.002
Aortic‐PWV (m/s)	8.7±1.6	10.3±2.3	0.0001

AP, augmentation pressure; AIx, augmentation index; AIx@75, heart rate‐corrected augmentation index; PWV, pulse wave velocity.

Table III. Echocardiographic measurements of study population.

	Control (n=40)	Hypertension (n=42)	p
LVEDD (mm)	46.5±3.2	47.5±4.1	0.2
LVESD (mm)	29±4	30±3.8	0.4
Ejection fraction (%)	64.8±2.1	65.3±1.7	0.28
IVS (mm)	10.1±0.9	11.3±1.5	0.0001
PW (mm)	9.6±0.6	10.6±1.2	0.0001
LA (mm)	35.2±3	36.7±3.3	0.03
LV mass index	94.3±15	118±27	0.0001
E (cm/s)	81.5±17	73±13.6	0.015
A (cm/s)	64.6±14	75.2±18	0.004
E/A	1.3±0.3	1±0.3	0.0001
DT (ms)	195±29	198±40	0.8
IVRT (ms)	80±10	86±13	0.03
Sm (cm/s)	9.4±2.4	8.7±2	0.15
Em (cm/s)	11.4±2.6	10.7±3.6	0.3
Am (cm/s)	10±2.2	11.6±3.8	0.02

LVEDD, left ventricular end‐diastolic diameter; LVESD, left ventricular end‐systolic diameter; IVS, interventricular septum; PW, posterior wall; LA, left atrium; E, early diastolic mitral inflow velocity; A, late diastolic mitral inflow velocity; DT, deceleration time; IVRT, isovolumetric relaxation time; Sm, peak systolic mitral annular velocity; Em, early diastolic mitral annular velocity; Am, late diastolic mitral annular velocity.