Changes of apelin-13 and cystatin c levels and metabolic profile in patients with hypertension and frequent ventricular extrasystole

Abstract

We examined 82 patients with stage II hypertension. 50 of them had frequent ventricular arrhythmias according to Holter electrocardiogram monitoring. 32 patients had verified stage II hypertension without any heart rhythm disorders, another 30 healthy individuals were included in the control group. It was found that in patients with ventricular arrhythmias, the level of apelin-13 was significantly (p<0.0001) lower than in healthy individuals and even in patients with hypertension but without arrhythmias. In turn, the level of cystatin C in patients with ventricular arrhythmias was significantly (p <0.001) higher than the corresponding level in patients with stage II hypertension without arrhythmias and in the control group. Patients with frequent ventricular arrhythmias also had more pronounced proatherogenic shifts in the blood lipid spectrum and higher levels of uric acid (p<0.05) compared with patients with hypertension of the second stage but without arrhythmias. In patients with stage II hypertension, a significant decrease in glomerular filtration rate was observed compared with control (p <0.001), while in patients with stage II hypertension and ventricular arrhythmias, the level of glomerular filtration rate (both by creatinine- and cystatin-calculated) not only the lowest but also less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m 2.