Vol 6, No 3 (2002)
Original paper
Published online: 2002-07-01

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The Influence of Arterial Hypertension and Smoking on Blood-Retinal Barrier

Arkadiusz Pogrzebielski, Wojciech Lubaszewski, Kalina Kawecka-Jaszcz, Maria Starzycka
Nadciśnienie tętnicze 2002;6(3):147-156.

Abstract

Background The aim of the study was the fluorophotometric evaluation of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) integrity in smoking and non-smoking patients with arterial hypertension without signs of BRB breakdown in form retinal hemorrhages, hard and soft exudates seen during ophthalmoscopy and fluorescein angiography.
Material and methods In the study took part 36 patients with arterial hypertension and 19 normotonic healthy volunteers. There were 55 persons: 22 men and 33 women. The study included: ophthalmic examination, fluorescein angiography, fluorophotometry, laboratory tests (triglicerids, cholesterol, LDL, HDL, creatinine, glucose concentration, OGT). To objectively evaluate the impact smoking we measured cotinine concentration in urine using HPLC and performed CCR assessment.
Results BRB permeability (PBRB) in hypertensive patients significantly higher then in the control group (2,24 0,68 nm/s vs. 1,64 ± 0,64 nm/s; p = 0,003). The mean urinary cotinine concentration in persons not exposed smoke was 56,59 ± 48,61 ng/ml. In smokers it was 930,1 ± 289,22 ng/ml (p < 0,001). PBRB in smokers was 1,99 ±
± 0,76 nm/s vs. 1,98 ± 0,66 nm/s in persons not exposured to smoke (p = 0,98). But the highest values of PBRB (2,32 nm/s) was seen by hypertensives with CCR > 50 ng/mg. This value was significantly higher than PBRB in non-exposed to smoke healthy volunteers (1,68 nm/s, p < 0,05).
Conclusions The PBRB in the patients with arterial hypertension is significantly higher than in normotonic control group, what shows the damaging effect of arterial hypertension on the BRB. The observed increasing PBRB values in the groups of healthy smokers, non-smoking patients with hypertension and smoking patients with hypertension may indirectly suggest the effect of smoke in patients with hypertension.

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