The aim of the work was to study characteristics of systemic and local arterial stiffness in young patients with arterial hypertension (AH) suffering this condition in the childhood or adulthood and to relate them to risk factors of cardiovascular complications. Materials and methods. 54 patients aged 18-35 (mean 25.3 +/- 3.4) years with AH. 37 of them had AH since 18 year and 27 ones starting from the childhood or adulthood Control group included 26 healthy volunteers aged 25.8 +/- 3.7 year. The carotid-femoral pulse wave propagation rate (PWPR) was measured by applanation tonometry with a SphygmoCor apparatus. Parameters of carotid stiffness of CCA were studied by the echo-tracking method using Aloka ProSound a7 device. Results. Patients with AH and without it in the childhood or adulthood showed higher PWPR values than controls (7.1 +/- 1.2 and 7.5 +/- 1.4 vs. 6.3 +/- 1.0 m/s respectively) Ep and AC values were higher in patients who did not have AH in the childhood or adulthood: right Ep 89 +/- 24.4 and 68.7 +/- 18.4 kPa, AC 0.9 +/- 0.2 and 1.1 +/- 0.1 mm2/kPa respectively; left Ep 86.1 +/- 20.3 and 71/4 +/- 16 kP AC 0.9 +/- 0.2 and 1.1 +/- 0.1 mm2/kPA (p < 0.05). In the patients with AH since the childhood or adulthood with concomitant metabolic syndrome (MS) the PWPR values and carotid artery stiffness were higher than in the absence of MS (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Young patients with AH showed carotid-femoral PWPR compared with control regardless of AH in the childhood or adulthood Parameters of local carotid stiffness were increased only in patients having no AH in the childhood or adulthood Patients with AH since the childhood or adulthood with concomitant MS had higher carotid stiffness and carotid-femoral PWPR than in the absence of MS