Abstract

Introduction

Materials & Methods

Results

Discussion & Conclusion

References

Discussion
Board

Vascular structural alterations in small resistance arteries of patients with essential hypertension are mostly characterized by inward eutrophic remodelling. However, experimental models of hypertension with high circulating renin are characterized by the presence of smooth muscle cell hypertrophy. The aim of our study was to investigate at the cellular level the structural characteristics of subcutaneous small resistance arteries in patients withprimary or secondary forms of hypertension, using 'the disector'. Fifteen patients with renovascular hypertension (RVH), 8 with primary aldosteronism, 13 with essential hypertension and 9 normotensive subjects have been included in the study. A biopsy of subcutaneous fat was taken from all subjects. Small arteries were dissected and mounted on a micromyograph and the media/lumen ratio (M/L) was calculated. The cell volume (CV) and the number of cell per segment length (NC). The M/L and the CV was significantly greater in RVH compared with the other groups. No difference in NC was observed between groups. In conclusion, an inward hypertrophic remodelling, as evaluated by a direct, unbiased method, was observed only in small resistance arteries of RVH. Therefore, for the first time our data demonstrated that a pronounced activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is associated to vascular smooth muscle cell hypertrophy also in human hypertension.

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Presentation Number SArizzoni0293
Keywords: vascular structur, hypertrophy, hypertension, remodelling