Proinflammation and Hypertension : A Population-Based Study

Abstract EN

There is evidence that proinflammation may be linked to the development of hypertension (HT).

We examined the association of both the interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and the interleukin 1-receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) with future blood pressure (BP) and HT occurrence (BP≥140/90 mmHg, or antihypertensive drug) in a population-based prospective study.

Our study consisted of 396 (147 men and 249 women) middle-aged, baseline apparently healthy, normotensive subjects participating in a 6.5-year follow-up study.

Subjects with high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP)<10 mg/L were excluded at the initial visit.

At follow-up, the occurrence of HT was 32%.

The levels of baseline IL-1β and IL-1ra were significantly higher for subjects who developed HT during the follow-up than for those who did not (IL-1β; 0.67 ± 0.62 pg/mL versus 0.56 ± 0.32 pg/mL, P=.020 and IL-1ra; 184 ± 132 pg/mL versus 154 ± 89 pg/mL, P=.007).

After adjustments for age, follow-up time, sex, baseline systolic BP, and BMI, our results confirm a statistically significant (P=.036) linear association between the quartiles of IL-1β and change of systolic BP during the study.

After adjustments for age, follow-up time, sex, and BMI, our results also show a linear association between incident HT and the quartiles of IL-1ra.

(P=.026).

These results provide evidence that proinflammation may precede BP elevation and HT.