The effect of ambulatory pulse pressure and CRP on the carotid of the elderly hypertensive patients

Objective To investigate the effect of ambulatory pulse pressure(PP)on the carotid of the male elderly hyper-tensive patients and the relationship between C-reaction protein(CRP),PP and the carotid.Methods 186 male elderly hyperten-sive patients with a mean age of 79.82years were divided into two groups according to ambulatory PP magnitude(high PP group,PP≥60 mmHg and low PP group,PP60 mmHg).Internal diameter of common carotid artery(CCA),intima-media thickness(IMT) and carotid plaque incidences were assessed by ultrasonography and the level of plasma CRP was measured.Results CCA,IMT and the incidence of carotid plaque of the high PP group were significant higher than those of the low PP group(8.25±0.72 mm vs7.97±0.74 mm,1.32±0.15 mm vs1.01±0.19 mm,73.53% vs 59.52%,respectively,P0.05).The level of CRP was also higher than that of the low PP group(5.72±2.89 mg/L vs 3.81±2.56 mg/L,P0.05).IMT was correlated positively with PP and the level of CRP(r=0.442,0.416,respectively,P0.05).Conclusions Wide PP contributes to the occurrence of carotid atherosclerosis of the male elderly hypertensive patients.The mechanism is probably related to inflammation reaction.