Relationship of growth differentiation factor-15 with aortic stiffness in essential hypertension

AIM: We aimed to assess the relationship between echocardiographic parameters of aortic elasticity, namely aortic strain, aortic distensibility and aortic β-index, and serum growth differentiation factor (GDF)-15 in patients with newly diagnosed essential hypertension (HT). METHODS: Grade-1 HT patients (n = 50), grade-2 HT (n = 70) patients and 35 healthy controls were included. RESULTS: GDF-15 was greater in grade-2 HT group compared with the other groups. All aortic elasticity parameters were worse in grade-2 HT group compared with the other groups. GDF-15 correlated positively with E/E′ ratio (the ratio of transmitral E velocity to mean diastolic mitral annular velocity) and β-index; and aortic strain and aortic distensibility correlated negatively with serum GDF-15. β-index, aortic diastolic diameter and diastolic blood pressure were independently associated with GDF-15. CONCLUSION: GDF-15 may be utilized in the prediction of increased aortic stiffness.