Serum phosphate in white-coat hypertensive patients: focus on dipping status and metabolic syndrome

A Review of Current Evidence on the Relationship between Phosphate Metabolism and Metabolic Syndrome

Phosphorus, present as phosphate in biological systems, is an essential mineral for various biological activities and biochemical processes. Numerous studies have indicated that disturbed phosphate balance may contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, no consistent result was found on the association between phosphorus intake and serum phosphate concentration with MetS. It is believed that both positive and negative impacts of phosphorus/phosphate co-exist in parallel during MetS condition. Reduced phosphate level contributed to the development of obesity and hyperglycaemia. Low phosphate is believed to compromise energy production, reduce exercise capacity, increase food ingestion, and impair glucose metabolism. On the other hand, the effects of phosphorus/phosphate on hypertension are rather complex depending on the source of phosphorus and subjects' health conditions. Phosphorus excess activates sympathetic nervous system, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and induces hormonal changes under pathological conditions, contributing to the blood pressure-rising effects. For lipid metabolism, adequate phosphate content ensures a balanced lipid profile through regulation of fatty acid biosynthesis, oxidation, and bile acid excretion. In conclusion, phosphate metabolism serves as a potential key feature for the development and progression of MetS. Dietary phosphorus and serum phosphate level should be under close monitoring for the management of MetS.

Association of urine phthalate metabolites, bisphenol A levels and serum electrolytes with 24-h blood pressure profile in adolescents

Background

Among the possible causes of hypertension in adolescence, electrolyte imbalances and environmental pollutants are drawing increasing attention. We aimed to examine the relationship between bisphenol A (BPA), phthalate metabolites, and serum electrolytes and blood pressure.

Methods

Eighty-six participants aged 12–15 years were included in the study. Body mass index (BMI), office blood pressure and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure measurements (ABPM), and carotid intima-media thickness were determined. Blood samples were taken for hemogram, renal function tests, and serum electrolytes. Free- and total-BPA and phthalate metabolites were analyzed from urine samples.

Results

Of the participants, 34 were evaluated as normal blood pressure profile, 33 as white-coat hypertension (WCHT), and 19 as ABPM-hypertension. Adolescents in ABPM- hypertension groups had higher BMI-standard deviation score (SDS), leucocyte, platelet count; but lower serum chloride, compared to the normal blood pressure profile group. The percentage of adolescents with detectable urinary mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) was higher in ABPM-hypertension (42.1%) and WCHT groups (33.3%), compared to the normal blood pressure profile group (5.9%, p = 0.004). Associations between MBzP and ABPM- hypertension and WCHT were remained after confounding factor adjustment. Adolescents with detectable MBzP levels had also higher “albumin-corrected calcium” and lower serum phosphate and “albumin-corrected calcium x phosphate product” compared to others. Adolescents with detectable urinary MBzP levels had higher blood pressure profiles in some 24-h (mean arterial pressure-SDS, systolic blood pressure-SDS), daytime (systolic blood pressure-SDS), and night-time (mean arterial pressure-SDS, systolic blood pressure-SDS, and diastolic blood pressure-SDS) measurements, compared to others. WCHT was found to be associated negatively with monomethyl phthalate and the sum of dibutyl phthalate metabolites and ABPM-HT with MCPP. There was no significant association between blood pressure profiles and free- and total-BPA status.

Conclusion

MBzP was associated with adverse blood pressure profiles in adolescence. Additive follow-up studies are necessary for cause-effect relations.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12882-022-02774-y.

Can serum levels of alkaline phosphatase and phosphate predict cardiovascular diseases and total mortality in individuals with preserved renal function? A systemic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

It is demonstrated that elevated serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and phosphate indicate a higher risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and total mortality in population with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but it remains unclear whether this association exists in people with normal or preserved renal function.

METHOD

Clinical trials were searched from Embase and PubMed from inception to 2013 December using the keywords "ALP", "phosphate", "CVD", "mortality" and so on, and finally 24 trials with a total of 147634 patients were included in this study. Dose-response and semi-parametric meta-analyses were performed.

RESULTS

A linear association of serum levels of ALP and phosphate with risks of coronary heart disease (CHD) events, CVD events and deaths was identified. The relative risk (RR) of ALP for CVD deaths was 1.02 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.04). The RR of phosphate for CVD deaths and events was 1.05 (95% CI, 1.02-1.09) and 1.04 (95% CI: 1.03-1.06), respectively. A non-linear association of ALP and phosphate with total mortality was identified. Compared with the reference category of ALP and phosphate, the pooled RR of ALP for total mortality was 1.57 (95% CI, 1.27-1.95) for the high ALP group, while the RR of phosphate for total mortality was 1.33 (95% CI, 1.21-1.46) for the high phosphate group. It was observed in subgroup analysis that higher levels of serum ALP and phosphate seemed to indicate a higher mortality rate in diabetic patients and those having previous CVD. The higher total mortality rate was more obvious in the men and Asians with high ALP.

CONCLUSION

A non-linear relationship exists between serum levels of ALP and phosphate and risk of total mortality. There appears to be a positive association of serum levels of ALP/phosphate with total mortality in people with normal or preserved renal function, while the relationship between ALP and CVD is still ambiguous.

Refeeding and metabolic syndromes: two sides of the same coin

Refeeding syndrome describes the metabolic and clinical changes attributed to aggressive rehabilitation of malnourished subjects. The metabolic changes of refeeding are related to hypophosphatemia, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, sodium retention and hyperglycemia, and these are believed to be mainly the result of increased insulin secretion following high carbohydrate intake. In the past few decades, increased consumption of processed food (refined cereals, oils, sugar and sweeteners, and so on) lowered the intake of several macrominerals (mainly phosphorus, potassium and magnesium). This seems to have compromised the postprandial status of these macrominerals, in a manner that mimics low grade refeeding syndrome status. At the pathophysiological level, this condition favored the development of the different components of the metabolic syndrome. Thus, it is reasonable to postulate that metabolic syndrome is the result of long term exposure to a mild refeeding syndrome.

Parathyroid hormone is a plausible mediator for the metabolic syndrome in the morbidly obese: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The biological mechanisms in the association between the metabolic syndrome (MS) and various biomarkers, such as 25-hydroxyvitamin D (vit D) and magnesium, are not fully understood. Several of the proposed predictors of MS are also possible predictors of parathyroid hormone (PTH). We aimed to explore whether PTH is a possible mediator between MS and various possible explanatory variables in morbidly obese patients.

METHODS

Fasting serum levels of PTH, vit D and magnesium were assessed in a cross-sectional study of 1,017 consecutive morbidly obese patients (68% women). Dependencies between MS and a total of seven possible explanatory variables as suggested in the literature, including PTH, vit D and magnesium, were specified in a path diagram, including both direct and indirect effects. Possible gender differences were also included. Effects were estimated using Bayesian path analysis, a multivariable regression technique, and expressed using standardized regression coefficients.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight percent of the patients had MS. In addition to type 2 diabetes and age, both PTH and serum phosphate had significant direct effects on MS; 0.36 (95% Credibility Interval (CrI) [0.15, 0.57]) and 0.28 (95% CrI [0.10,0.47]), respectively. However, due to significant gender differences, an increase in either PTH or phosphate corresponded to an increased OR for MS in women only. All proposed predictors of MS had significant direct effects on PTH, with vit D and phosphate the strongest; -0.27 (95% CrI [-0.33,-0.21]) and -0.26 (95% CrI [-0.32,-0.20]), respectively. Though neither vit D nor magnesium had significant direct effects on MS, for women they both affected MS indirectly, due to the strong direct effect of PTH on MS. For phosphate, the indirect effect on MS, mediated through serum calcium and PTH, had opposite sign than the direct effect, resulting in the total effect on MS being somewhat attenuated compared to the direct effect only.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that for women PTH is a plausible mediator in the association between MS and a range of explanatory variables, including vit D, magnesium and phosphate.