THE STRUCTURAL ARTERIOLAR CHANGES IN DIABETES-MELLITUS AND ESSENTIAL-HYPERTENSION - THE RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION OF AGING AND HIGH BLOOD-PRESSURE

Aim To evaluate the relative contribution of blood pressure, non-insul in dependent diabetes mellitus and ageing on arteriolar structural cha nges in essential hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Population and m ethods One hundred subjects, 25 with hypertension (A), 25 with hyperte nsion and diabetes (B), 25 with diabetes (C) and 25 healthy subjects ( D). Blood pressure average values, obtained with non-invasive monitori ng, and minimal vascular resistance, calculated with strain-gauge plet hysmography, were statistically correlated. Multiple regression analys is was performed to assess the contribution of blood pressure and age. Results Minimal vascular resistance was higher in A, B and C than in D, and higher in B than in A and C. The coefficient of blood pressure in the multiple regression analysis was significant for all the parame ters in A and B but not in C and D; that of age was significant only i n A and only for the average values of mean and diastolic blood pressu re. Conclusion Hypertension and diabetes show arteriolar structural ch anges of similar gravity. Age does play a role in hypertension but a s maller one than that played by blood pressure. In hypertension and dia betes the lack of significance of the contribution of age to the corre lation between minimal vascular resistance and pressure could be ascri bed to other neurohumoral factors. These factors play a much more impo rtant role in diabetes, where neither blood pressure nor age show any correlation with high vascular resistance.