Evidence of neurodegeneration in individuals with only mildly elevated blood pressure
Jung S, Bosch A, Kohler N, Ott C, Kannenkeril D, Dienemann T, Harazny JM, Michelson G, Schmieder R (2019)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2019
Journal
DOI: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000002164
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Initiation of antihypertensive drug treatment in low-risk individuals with grade 1 hypertension is under debate. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of mildly elevated blood pressure (BP) on early neurodegenerative processes independent of ageing. METHODS: Sixty-two individuals were included in this study: 25 young (aged <40 years) and 37 older (aged ≥40 years) individuals at low cardiovascular risk and grade 1 hypertension at most. Macular retinal layer volumes of both eyes were determined by SD-OCT. Total retinal volume but also each inner retinal layer volume separately including retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner plexiform layer (IPL), and GCL-IPL were measured in each individual. RESULTS: Retinal layer volumes were lower among older individuals compared with young individuals (RNFL right eye: P = 0.037/left eye: P = 0.021; GCL and GCL-IPL: both eyes P < 0.001; IPL right eye: P = 0.005/left eye: P = 0.002; total retinal volume: both eyes P = 0.002) and there was an inverse correlation between retinal layer volumes and age. Partial correlation analysis, excluding age as a cofactor, revealed an inverse association between retinal layer volumes and DBP. In multiple regression analysis, DBP was identified as a determinant of retinal neurodegenerative processes. CONCLUSION: In the current study, we observed an inverse association between retinal neurodegenerative processes and DBP, suggesting that BP-lowering therapy by early antihypertensive drug-treatment might be beneficial to avoid early neurodegeneration.
Authors with CRIS profile
Agnes Bosch
Department of Medicine 4 – Nephrology and Hypertension
Christian Ott
Department of Medicine 4 – Nephrology and Hypertension
Georg Michelson
Department of Ophthalmology
Roland Schmieder
Professur für Innere Medizin (Nephrologie)
Involved external institutions
Poland (PL)How to cite
APA:
Jung, S., Bosch, A., Kohler, N., Ott, C., Kannenkeril, D., Dienemann, T.,... Schmieder, R. (2019). Evidence of neurodegeneration in individuals with only mildly elevated blood pressure. Journal of Hypertension. https://doi.org/10.1097/HJH.0000000000002164
MLA:
Jung, Susanne, et al. "Evidence of neurodegeneration in individuals with only mildly elevated blood pressure." Journal of Hypertension (2019).
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