Parental History of Hypertension: A Risk for Autonomic Dysfunction and Metabolic and Vascular Derangement in Normotensive Male Offspring

Charu Bansal; Saranya Kuppusamy; Senthil Kumar Gandhipuram Periyasamy; Harichandrakumar Kt; Jean Fredrick; Senthil Kumar Subramanian

doi:10.7759/cureus.44636

Parental History of Hypertension: A Risk for Autonomic Dysfunction and Metabolic and Vascular Derangement in Normotensive Male Offspring

Cureus. 2023 Sep 4;15(9):e44636. doi: 10.7759/cureus.44636. eCollection 2023 Sep.

Authors

Charu Bansal¹, Saranya Kuppusamy¹, Senthil Kumar Gandhipuram Periyasamy², Harichandrakumar Kt³, Jean Fredrick⁴, Senthil Kumar Subramanian⁵

Affiliations

¹ Physiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, IND.
² Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, IND.
³ Biostatistics, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, IND.
⁴ Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalyani, IND.
⁵ Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Madurai, IND.

Abstract

Background: Children of hypertensive parents have an increased propensity of developing hypertension, at an age very much prior to their parents. Understanding the pathophysiology of hypertension in such young individuals, especially baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), is necessary. Reduced heart rate variability (HRV), insulin resistance (IR), dyslipidemia, and decreased vasodilatory adipokines, namely, apelin and relaxin, in normotensives may predispose to the onset of hypertension. Thus, this study compared autonomic functions, vascular markers, and metabolic profiles between normotensive male offspring with and without parental hypertension.

Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study comprised 40 male normotensive offspring of hypertensive parents, aged 18-35 years, recruited as the study group and 40 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched normotensive male offspring with non-hypertensive parents enrolled as controls. Cardiovascular autonomic functions, including BRS, HRV, diastolic blood pressure response to isometric handgrip test (ΔDBPIHG), Valsalva ratio, and metabolic and vascular markers, were assessed.

Results: The study group exhibited reduced BRS, HRV, and Valsalva ratio and higher ΔDBPIHG compared to controls, indicating impaired autonomic functions. The study group had higher IR and triglyceride levels and reduced apelin and relaxin levels. BRS showed significant correlations with HRV, Valsalva ratio, ΔDBPIHG, and metabolic and vascular markers.

Conclusions: Normotensive male offspring of hypertensive parents exhibit impaired autonomic functions, as evidenced by reduced BRS, HRV, and Valsalva ratio. Additionally, they have higher IR, dyslipidemia, and decreased levels of vasodilatory adipokines, indicating an increased risk for future hypertension development. These findings signify that early identification of hypertensive potential in this high-risk population is warranted, which would enable taking necessary preventive measures.

Keywords: apelin; baroreflex; cardiac autonomic dysfunction; metabolic profile; parental history of hypertension; relaxin.

Grants and funding

This study was funded by Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry (IMRF-JIP/Res/Intramural/Phs 1/2021-22/K.Saranya/Charu/12(33)).