Objectives: To investigate the inter-relationships of osteoprotegerin (OPG) with albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) and asymmetric dimethylargine (ADMA) in hypertensive patients.
Methods: In 198 untreated non-diabetic hypertensive patients [130 males, mean age=51.5 years, office blood pressure (BP)=152/98 mmHg] ACR values and OPG and ADMA levels were determined.
Results: Based on the median value of OPG distribution (5.03 pmol/l) patients with high (n=101) compared with those with low OPG values (n=97) had greater 24-h systolic BP (152±5 versus 137±7 mmHg, p<0.0001), ACR [25.3 (5-190) versus 17.3 (5-92) mg/g, p=0.003) and ADMA [0.62 (0.58-0.68) versus 0.57 (0.48-0.62) μmol/l, p=0.001), independently of confounding factors. Multiple regression analyses revealed that ADMA (b=0.388, p<0.0001), 24-h systolic BP (b=0.228, p=0.01) and ACR (b=0.470, p<0.0001) were independent predictors of OPG (R2=0.398, p<0.0001).
Conclusions: In hypertensive patients, high OPG levels are accompanied by pronounced albuminuria and endothelial dysfunction, as reflected by raised ADMA levels. Furthermore, the independent associations of OPG with ACR and ADMA, suggests a link between OPG and the progression of diffuse hypertensive vascular damage.