The correlation between the changes of plasma neuropeptide Y and neurotensin levels and the damage of cardiac and renal functions in elderly patients with essential hypertension

Objective To observe the changes of plasma neuropeptider Y(NPY)an d neurotensin(NT)levels in elderly patients with essential hypertension and the relationship between NPY,NT and damage of cardiac and renal functions.Methods Fifty-seven elderly patients with essential hypertension and 23 normal controls were chosen from First Affilated Hospital of Chinese PLA Gernera l Hospital.The color echocardiogram was used to evaluate the cardiac structure a nd function.The cardiac function was divided into 3 classes based on the LVEF.The endogenous creatinine clearance rate(Ccr)was determined to evaluate the re nal function.The plasma NPY and NT concentrations were determined by radioimmun oassay(RIA).Results The level of NPY in patients with hypertensio n(159±56)pg/ml was higher than that in the normal controls(123±54)pg/ml(t=-2.585,P0.05).The level of NT(66±31)pg/ml was significantly lower in the hypertensive patients than th at in the normal controls(101±19)pg/ml(t=2.617,P0.01).T he NPY levels of the three groups of different cardiac functions(group1:LVEF≥ 55%,group2:LVEF=41%-54%,group3:LVEF≤40%)were(137±52)pg/ml,(154±45)pg/ml and(214±40)pg/ml respectively and they were significantly different(F =12.36,P0.01).The NT levels of the three groups were(77±34)pg/m l,(72±32)pg/ml and(45±17)pg/ml respectively,with significant difference(F=4.92,P0.05).The NPY level increased and the NT level decr eased with increasing severity of heart failure.The NPY level in group with lef t ventricle hypertrophy(LVH)(177±52)pg/ml was significantly higher than that i n the group without LVH(135±47)pg/ml(t=-2.84,P0.01).The NT level in group with left ventricle hypertrophy(52±22)pg/ml was significantl y lower than that in the group without LVH(94±31)pg/ml(t=4.74,P0.01).The NPY level in patients whose Ccr was ≤49mL/min(187±53)pg/ml was higher than that in patients whose Ccr was ≥50ml/min(148 ±55)pg/ml(t =-1.978,P0.05).The NT levels in these two groups were(61±29)pg/mL and(69±33)pg/ml respectively,with no significant difference(t=0.991,P0.05).Conclusions NPY and NT may be involved in the pa thophysiological course of hypertension.They may play a role in the damage of c ardiac and renal functions in the elderly patients with essential hypertension.