The Potential Role of Circulating Endothelial Cells and Endothelial Progenitor Cells in the Prediction of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Hypertensive Patients

• Main Authors: Magdalena Budzyń, Bogna Gryszczyńka, Maciej Boruczkowski, Mariusz Kaczmarek, Beata Begier-Krasińska, Angelika Osińska, Alicja Bukowska, Maria Iskra, Magdalena Paulina Kasprzak
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2019-08-01
• Series: Frontiers in Physiology
• Subjects: left ventricular hypertrophy; hypertension; circulating endothelial cells; endothelial progenitor cells; endothelial dysfunction; heart
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2019.01005/full

BackgroundThe main aim of present study is to evaluate the potential role of circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and endothelial progenitor cells (CEPCs) – representing specific markers of endothelial damage, in the prediction of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in hypertensive patients categorized into two groups; mild (MH) and resistant hypertension (RH).Materials and MethodsThirty patients with MH and 28 subjects with RH were involved in the study. In both groups, patients were divided into an LVH and non-LVH group. The control group included 33 age and sex-matched normotensive volunteers. Physical examination, laboratory tests and echocardiography were conducted.ResultsIn both the MH and RH group, patients with as well as without LVH demonstrated a higher number of CECs and a lower ratio of CEPCs/CECs as compared to the healthy control. Multiple linear regression analysis showed a positive association of CEPCs with left ventricular mass (LVM) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI), independently of other confounders.ConclusionOur results suggest that endothelial injury observed as an elevated CECs number and its impaired regeneration, reflected by a lowered CEPCs/CECs ratio, precede LVH occurrence and may play a significant role in LVH development regardless of the clinical severity of hypertension. Moreover, independent correlation of CEPCs with echocardiographic (ECG) incidences of LVH suggests their potential use as a screening biomarker to stratify the risk of LVH development.