Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) as inflammatory biomarkers of endothelial and leukocyte activation in overweight hypertensive patients

Aims: Low-grade inflammation mediates the relation between overweight and the development of cardiovascular diseases. The study aimed to examine if myeloperoxidase (MPO) and hsCRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) in overweight hypertensive patients can be used as biomarkers of endothelial and leukocyte activation. Methods : Seventy-five subjects were included in the study; 38 had essential arterial hypertension (AH) and 37 were normotensive controls (NC), subsequently divided into overweight (OW;BMI≥25kgm 2) and normal weight subgroups (NW;BMI<25kgm-2). Body mass index (BMI), inflammatory markers concentrations, association of MPO and hsCRP with AH and/or overweight were assessed. Results : AH patients had higher MPO (median 132.5pmol/L, IQR 53.8–691.9)(P<0.001), while hsCRP did not significantly differ compared to normotensive controls (NC). NW-AH patients had higher MPO (P=0.02) than normotensive NW patients. MPO was similar between normotensive patients OW and NW, while hsCRP concentration was significantly higher in the OW (median 1.85 mg/L, IQR 0.47–7.19)(P=0.01) compared to NW. OW-AH patients had significantly higher MPO (median 137.4pmol/L, IQR 53.80-703.4) (P=0.002) compared to normotensive NW and OW (P<0.001) patients, likely reflecting neutrophilic activation in hypertension. Additionaly, OW-AH patients had significantly higher hsCRP (median 1.71mg/L, IQR 0.22-14) (P=0.005) than normotensive NW patients. hsCRP significantly positively correlated with BMI in both AH (ρ=0.41, P=0,009) and NC groups (ρ=0.38, P=0.01), while MPO did not correlate, supporting inflammation in OW, particularly in OW with AH. Conclusions: All together, the results suggest that inflammation may mediate mutual association of AH and OW, suggesting MPO as inflammatory biomarker for AH and hsCRP for overweight.