Collagen metabolism in extracellular matrix may be involved in arterial stiffness in older hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy

Collagen metabolism in the extracellular matrix (ECM) is related to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular stiffness and remodeling in hypertension. We evaluated the association between collagen metabolism markers and the newly developed parameter, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), in older hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). We performed echocardiography and baPWV measurement using a new device, form PWV/ABI (Colin Medical Technology, Komaki, Japan), and measured plasma levels of markers of collagen metabolism such as procollagen type I C-terminal propeptide (PICP: a marker of collagen synthesis), collagen type I pyridinoline cross-linked C-terminal telopeptide (ICTP: a marker of collagen type I degradation), matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1: a marker of collagen degradation) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in 46 hypertensive patients with LVH. BaPWV was correlated with the plasma level of PICP (r=0.33, p=0.03) and ICTP (r=0.29, p=0.05) and the total TIMP-1/MMP-1 ratio (an index of collagen turnover; r=0.30, p=0.04). BaPWV was negatively correlated with the E/A ratio of left ventricular inflow (r=-0.36, p < 0.05), while baPWV was not correlated with left ventricular mass index (LVMI; r=-0.175, p=0.25) or deceleration time of the mitral E wave (DCT; r=0.15, p=0.31). The measures of hypertensive heart disease, such as the E/A ratio, DCT or LVMI were not correlated with any collagen markers in this study. In multiple regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors such as age, sex, pulse pressure, mean blood pressure, pulse rate, LVMI, E/A ratio and DCT, the positive correlation between baPWV and total TIMP-1/MMP-1 ratio remained significant (p < 0.05). In conclusion, arterial stiffness in high-risk older hypertensive patients may involve ECM collagen metabolism.