Blood pressure categorization and subclinical left ventricular dysfunction in antihypertensive medication-naive subjects

Sex, gender, and subclinical hypertensiveorgan damage-heart

Hypertension-mediated organ damage (HMOD) at cardiac level include a variety of abnormal phenotypes of recognized adverse prognostic value. Although the risk of cardiac HMOD is related with the severity of BP elevation, the interaction of numerous non-hemodynamic factors plays a relevant role in this unfavorable dynamic process. In particular, sex-related differences in cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and HMOD have been increasingly described. The objective of the present review is to provide comprehensive, updated information on sex-related differences in cardiac HMOD, focusing on the most important manifestations of subclinical hypertensive heart disease such as left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), LV systolic and diastolic dysfunction, left atrial and aortic dilatation. Current evidence, based on cross-sectional and longitudinal observational studies as well as real-world registries and randomized controlled trials, suggests that women are more at risk of developing (and maintaining) LVH, concentric remodeling and subclinical LV dysfunction, namely the morpho-functional features of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. It should be pointed out, however, that further studies are needed to fill the gap in defining gender-based optimal therapeutic strategies in order to protect women's hearts.

A cross-sectional study identifying disparities in serum metabolic profiles among hypertensive patients with ISH, IDH and SDH subtypes

Background

It has been well acknowledged that disordered intestinal microflora and their fermented products play crucial role during the development of hypertension (HTN). Aberrant profiles of fecal bacteria have been documented in subjects with isolated systolic HTN (ISH) and isolated diastolic HTN (IDH) previously. Nevertheless, evidence regarding the association of metabolic products in the bloodstream with ISH, IDH and combined systolic and diastolic HTN (SDH) remains scarce.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional study and conducted untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis on serum samples of 119 participants, including 13 subjects with normotension (SBP < 120/DBP < 80 mm Hg), 11 individuals with ISH (SBP ≥ 130/DBP < 80 mm Hg), 27 patients with IDH (SBP < 130/DBP ≥ 80 mm Hg), and 68 SDH patients (SBP ≥ 130, DBP ≥ 80 mm Hg).

Results

Here, the results showed clearly separated clusters in PLS-DA and OPLS-DA score plots for patients suffering from ISH, IDH and SDH when compared with normotension controls. The ISH group was characterized by elevated levels of 3,5-tetradecadien carnitine and notable reduction of maleic acid. While IDH patients were enriched with metabolites in L-lactic acid and depleted in citric acid. Stearoylcarnitine was identified to be specifically enriched in SDH group. The differentially abundant metabolites between ISH and controls were involved in tyrosine metabolism pathways, and in biosynthesis of phenylalanine for those between SDH and controls. Potential linkages between the gut microbial and serum metabolic signatures were detected within ISH, IDH and SDH groups. Furthermore, we found the association of discriminatory metabolites with the characteristics of patients.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate disparate blood metabolomics signatures across ISH, IDH and SDH, with differentially enriched metabolites and potential functional pathways identified, reveal the underlying microbiome and metabolome network in HTN subtypes, and provide potential targets for disease classification and therapeutic strategy in clinical practice.