Assessment of Endothelial Dysfunction in Health and Disease; Using Various Parameters

Conditions like hypertension, atherosclerosis and diabetes are known to be the result of endothelial dysfunction which could begin early in the life of an individual. The markers of endothelial dysfunction studied in the present work are plasma hemoglobin, serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and plasma nitrite and nitrate. We studied the onset of endothelial dysfunction with increase in age as well as in disease condition like newly detected hypertensives and of hypertensive diabetic patients. The mean plasma hemoglobin and hsCRP values were found to increase with age. hsCRP and plasma hemoglobin levels were significantly higher in patient groups as compared to aged-matched controls. On the other hand nitrate and nitrite was significantly higher in patients who suffered from both diabetes and hypertension together and nitrate values were significantly lower in patients who suffered from hypertensive alone. Plasma hemoglobin and hsCRP are associated with endothelial dysfunction and increases both with age as well as in disease condition.