Adiponectin--insulin and resistin plasma levels in young healthy offspring of patients with essential hypertension

BACKGROUND: Accumulating epidemiological studies have shown that healthy offspring of hypertensive patients exhibit some metabolic disturbances such as hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, lipid disorders, elevated plasma leptin levels and reduced insulin receptor number, features that may be predictors of future cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to determine insulin, adiponectin and resistin plasma levels in young healthy offspring of patients with essential hypertension, and to compare the findings to those of young healthy offspring of healthy normotensives matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI). METHODS: Forty-six (24 male/22 female) healthy offspring of patients with essential hypertension-positive family history (FH+), mean age 18+/-3 years and BMI 22.4+/-1.4 kg/m2 (group A) and 50 (28 male/22 female) healthy offspring of healthy normotensives-negative family history (FH-) mean age 18+/-3.2 years and BMI 22.6+/-1.7 kg/m2 (group B) were studied. The two groups were matched for age, sex and BMI. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) measurements, resting heart rate (HR), plasma insulin (RIA method), adiponectin and resistin plasma levels (ELISA) were determined in the whole study population. RESULTS: Mean SBP, DBP and resting HR were significantly higher in group A compared with group B (121+/-13 vs 110+/-10 mmHg, 78+/-6 vs 73+/-8 mmHg, 76+/-4 vs 72+/-6 beats/min, p<0.01, p<0.05 and p<0.01 respectively). Insulin and resistin plasma levels were significantly higher, while adiponectin levels were significantly lower. In group A compared with group B (21+/-7 vs 15+/-6 pIU/ml, 10+/-5 vs 6+/-3 ng/ml, 20+/-5 vs 29+/-8 microg/ml, p<0.01, p<0.01, p<0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that increased SBP, DBP and resting HR as well as increased insulin and resistin plasma levels and decreased adiponectin plasma levels pre-exist in young healthy offspring with positive family history for essential hypertension. Further studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of these observations in attempt to classify these young healthy individuals for future cardiovascular risk.