Effects of Obesity on Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Erythropoietin in Patients with Arterial Hypertension

Objective: to compare level of the main cytokines induced by ischemia (vascular endothelial growth factor and erythropoietin) in patients with first grade arterial hypertension with and without obesity and in normotesive persons. Methods. 79 patients with first grade arterial hypertension (50 with accompany obesity) were examined. 54 individuals with optimal or normal blood pressure were included into the control group. Vascular endothelial growth factor, erythropoietin, soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 and serum placental growth factor were determined by the enzyme immunoassay. Vascular endothelial growth factor -634 G/C and -2578 C/A gene polymorphisms were investigated by polymerase chain reaction. 96 Tetiana Manhylova Results. An average concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (312.8±25.6 pg/ml) and erythropoietin (9.1±0.7 mU/ml) in patients with arterial hypertension was higher (p<0.01) than in individuals without blood pressure elevation (206.1±18.6 pg/ml and 6.4±0.6 mU/ml respectively). Concomitant obesity significantly affects these results: level of vascular endothelial growth factor and erythropoietin was elevated only in patients with combination of arterial hypertension and obesity when it became higher than in patients with isolated arterial hypertension (p<0.01) or in control group (p<0.001). There are no intergroup differences in soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 and placental growth factor concentration as well as in the detection rate of alleles -634 G/C and -2578 C/A and genotypes -634 GG, GC, CC and -2578 CC, CA, AA of the promoter region of vascular endothelial growth factor gene. Conclusion. Iincreased serum vascular endothelial growth factor and erythropoietin concentration is typical for patients with combination of first grade arterial hypertension and obesity. Level of these cytokines doesn’t differ in patients with isolated arterial hypertension and normal blood pressure.