Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the association between human leukocyte antigens (HLA) phenotypes and cardiovascular remodelling, as expressed by left ventricular mass (LVM) and carotid intima–media thickness (IMT), in hypertensives. We examined 153 subjects with arterial hypertension and 61 normotensive controls living in the greater Athens area. The population was classified into three groups and specifically group I (normotensives), group II with Grade 1 hypertension and group III with Grade 2 or 3 hypertension. HLA class I and class II antigens were studied by microlymphocytotoxic technique. Carotid IMT and LVM were determined by ultrasonography. The prevalence of HLA DQ7 in the hypertensive cohort was 27.4% that was significantly smaller than the 52.5% among the controls (P=0.002). The HLA DR11 was found in 24.0% of the hypertensives and in 52.5% of the controls (P<0.001). Group III hypertensives with HLA DR11 exhibited significantly higher LVM/h in comparison to the hypertensives without this HLA (199.0±28.8 vs 171.2+44.1g/m, P=0.009). This association was not present in groups I and II. Similarly, group III hypertensives with HLA DQ7 were characterized by higher IMT in comparison to those without this HLA (0.94±0.19 vs 0.83±0.23 mm, P=0.048). HLA DR17 was associated with higher IMT in both groups II and III (1.00±0.19 vs 0.82±0.19 mm, P=0.046 and 1.01±0.23 vs 0.84±0.22 mm, P=0.049, respectively) but not in group I. In conclusion, certain HLA phenotypes may be related to the levels of arterial blood pressure. Moreover, it seems that these HLA phenotypes may identify subjects with arterial hypertension that are more prone to develop cardiovascular hypertrophy.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 digital issues and online access to articles
$119.00 per year
only $9.92 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ganau A et al. Relation of left ventricular hemodynamic load and contractile performance to left ventricular mass in hypertension. Circulation 1990; 81: 25–36.
Lauer MS, Anderson KM, Levi D . Influence of contemporary versus 30-year blood pressure levels on left ventricular mass and geometry: The Framingham Heart Study. J Am Coil Cardiol 1991; 18: 1287–1294.
Verdecchia P et al. Circardian blood pressure changes and left ventricular hypertrophy in essential hypertension. Circulation 1990; 81: 528–536.
Saba PS et al. Relation of carotid pressure waveform to left ventricular anatomy in normotensive subjects. J Am Coll Cardiol 1993; 22: 1873–1880.
Mannami T et al. Prevalence of asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic lesions detected by high-resolution ultrasonography and its relation to cardiovascular risk factors in the general population of a Japanese city: the Suita study. Stroke 1997; 28: 518–525.
O'Leary DH et al. Carotid artery intima and media thickness as a risk factor for myocardial infarction and stroke in older adults. N Engl J Med 1999; 340: 14–22.
Drayer JI, Weber MA, DeYoung JL . BP as a determinant of left ventricular mass. Arch Intern Med 1983; 143: 90–92.
Iwai N, Ohmishi N, Nakamura W, Kinoshita M . DD genotype of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene is a risk factor for left ventricular hypertrophy. Circulation 1994; 90: 2622–2628.
Castellano M et al. Angiotensin-converting enzyme I/D polymorphism and arterial wall thickness in a general population. The Vobarno Study. Circulation 1995; 91: 2721–2724.
Lindpaintner K et al. Absence of association or genetic linkage between the angiotensin-converting-enzyme gene and left ventricular mass. N Engl J Med 1996; 334: 1023–1028.
Tao Z et al. An association study between essential hypertension and HLA-DR1 alleles. Chin Med Sci J 1995; 10: 70–72.
Luque Otero M . Severe hypertension in the Spanish population. Association with specific HLA antigens. Hypertension 1983; 5: V149–V152.
Diamantopoulos EJ et al. Association of specific HLA phenotypes with left ventricular mass and carotid intima–media thickness in hypertension. Am J Hypertens 2001; 14: 632–636.
1999 World Health Organization–International Society of Hypertension Guidelines for the management of hypertension. J Hypertens 1999; 17: 151–183.
Terasaki PI et al. Microdroplet testing for HLA - A, -B, -C, and -D antigens. Am J Clin Pathol 1978; 69: 103–120.
Vartdal F et al. HLA class I and II typing using cells positively selected from blood by immunomagnetic isolation—a fast and reliable technique. Tissue Antigens 1986; 28: 301–312.
Sahn DJ, DeMaria A, Kisslo J, Weyman A . Recommendations regarding quantification in M-mode echocardiography: results of a survey of echocardiographic measurements. Circulation 1978; 58: 1072–1083.
Devereux RB, Reicheck N . Echocardiographic determination of left ventricular mass in man: anatomic validation of the method. Circulation 1977; 55: 613–618.
Campbell MJ, Machin D Medical Statistics: A commonsense approach, 3rd edn John Wiley: Chichester, UK 1999, 148 pp.
Brostoff J, Scadding G, Male D, Roit I (eds). Clinical Immunology, Gower Medical Publishing, London 1992.
Frohlich ED et al. The heart in hypertension. N Engl J Med 1992; 327: 998–1008, [Erratum, N Engl J Med 1992; 327: 1768.]
Chambers J . Left ventricular hypertrophy. BMJ 1995; 311: 273–274.
Harris EL et al. Heart mass and blood pressure have separate genetic determinants in the New Zealand genetically hypertensive (GH) rat. J Hypertens 1995; 13: 397–404.
Carlquist JF et al. Major histocompatibility complex class II gene frequencies by serologic and deoxyribonucleic acid genomic typing in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Am J Cardiol 1994; 74: 918
Kishimoto C et al. HLA DR2 linkage in patients with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in Japan. Cardiology 1996; 87: 488–491.
Ross R . Atherosclerosis—an inflammatory disease. N Engl J Med 1999; 340: 115–126.
Mann DL, Young JB . Basic mechanisms in congestive heart failure. Recognizing the role of proinflammatory cytokines. Chest 1994; 105: 897–902.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Diamantopoulos, E., Andreadis, E., Vassilopoulos, C. et al. HLA phenotypes as promoters of cardiovascular remodelling in subjects with arterial hypertension. J Hum Hypertens 17, 63–68 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001502
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001502