Tibetan patients with essential hypertension caused by underlying oxidative metabolism dysfunction and depressed nitric oxide synthesis
Li, D.; Wang, X.; Fu, Z.; Yu, J.; Da, W.; Peng, S.; Wang, X.
Chinese Medical Journal 116(2): 309-311
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0366-6999 PMID: 12775254 Document Number: 566297
Objective To assess the role of oxidative metabolism and nitric oxide synthesis for elucidating their pathophysiological mechanisms in a Tibetan patient with essential hypertension. Methods The serum levels of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), nitric oxide (NO) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) were assayed in sixty native Tibetans (thirty hypertensive patients and thirty healthy volunteers as control). Results The levels of T-SOD, T-AOC, NO and NOS were significantly lower in the patient group than in the control group (P < 0.01); MDA was significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group (P < 0.01). The level of MDA had a strong negative correlation with T-SOD, T-AOC, NO and NOS (r = -0.82, -0.76, -0.79, -0.73, respectively, P < 0.001 for all). Conclusion Tibetan patients with essential hypertension (EH) may have underlying oxidative metabolism dysfunction and depressed NO synthesis, both responsible for the hypertensive process.