The Relationship Between Carotid Intima Media Thickness And Metabolic Syndrome Components In Essential Hypertensive Subjects Complicated With Metabolic Syndrome

BackgroundThe patients with essential hypertension (EH) are usually complicated with metabolic syndrome (MS). However, several definitions of MS are different since it was firstly proposed by WHO in1998, suggesting the complicated mechanisms of MS. The latest definition of MS was published in2009by six academic organizations including AHA, IDF, NHLBI et al, which is a relatively unified definition.As the component of MS, dyslipidemia, hypertension, type2diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance, and obesity are all the major risk factors for atherosclerosis, which may have a synergistic effect in the process of atherosclerosis in patients with MS. But it is not known about the proportion in Chinese patients with EH complicated with MS.ObjectivesThis study was designed to investigate the proportion in Chinese patients with EH complicated with MS using the latest definition of MS. The composition of MS components was analyzed in these patients. We also analyzed the relationship between MS components and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in these patients.Methods 168EH patients were enrolled in this study and were divided into two groups depending on whether complicated with MS (102EH patients) or without MS (66EH patients). Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) were measured with routine biochemical methods. Carotid IMT was measured with ultrasound. The compositions of MS components were analyzed in EH patients. SPSS17.0statistical package was used for analysis. T-test was used for comparisons between two groups. The relationships between carotid IMT and blood pressure FPG, TG, TC and HDL were analyzed with Pearson correlation analysis. P<0.05was set for a statistical significance.Results1.61%EH patients complicated with MS.2. Central obesity (92%) was the most common component of MS in102EH patients complicated with MS.3. The carotid IMT increased in EH patients complicated with MS as compared with EH patients without MS (versus, P<0.05).4. There were positive relationships between SBP (r=0.382, P<0.05), TG (r=0.367, P<0.05), AC (r=0.291, P<0.05) and carotid IMT in EH patients complicated with MS.Conclusions1. The patients with EH usually complicates with MS.2. Central obesity is the most common component in EH patients complicated MS, suggesting the important role of central obesity in the pathophysiology of MS.3. The carotid IMT in EH patients complicated with MS increases, suggesting the effect of MS in the process of AS.4. The correlations between SBP, TG, and AC and IMT in EH patients complicated with MS suggest that these risk factors may play more important roles in AS.