Angiotensin II infusion significantly increased IL-6 levels from baseline in both hypertensive (28%) and normotensive (31%) subjects (P≤0.001).
Observational (n=581)
Does renin-angiotensin system activation via ANGII infusion or low sodium diet increase inflammatory markers (IL-6, CRP) in hypertensive and normotensive humans?
The study confirms an association between hypertension and inflammation, demonstrating that IL-6 plays a role in ANGII-mediated hypertension, though a low sodium diet itself does not increase inflammation despite RAS activation.
Absolute Event Rate: 28% vs 31%
p-value: p=≤ 0.001
BACKGROUND: Prior evidence suggests a link between inflammation and hypertension. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been implicated in animal studies to play an important role in angiotensin II (ANGII)-mediated hypertension. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of IL-6 and renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activity in human hypertension. METHODS: Data from 385 hypertensives and 196 normotensives are included in this report. Blood pressure and laboratory evaluation were performed on liberal and low sodium diets. IL-6 response to an ANGII infusion was evaluated to assess the effect of acute RAS activation. RESULTS: Hypertensives had higher baseline IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) compared with normotensives on both diets. IL-6 increased in response to ANGII in hypertensives and normotensives (28% in hypertensives, 31% in normotensives, P ≤ 0.001 for change from baseline). In the setting of RAS activation by a low salt diet, multivariate regression analysis adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), gender, race, and hypertension status demonstrated an independent positive association of plasma renin activity (PRA) with CRP (β = 0.199, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in IL-6 or CRP levels between liberal and low sodium diets. CONCLUSION: These findings confirm an association between hypertension and inflammation and provide human data supporting previous evidence from animal studies that IL-6 plays a role in ANGII-mediated hypertension. Notably, compared to levels on a liberal sodium diet, neither IL-6 nor CRP were higher with activation of the RAS by a low salt diet indicating that a low sodium diet is not inflammatory despite increased RAS activity.
Chamarthi et al. (Thu,) conducted a observational in Hypertension (n=581). Angiotensin II (ANGII) infusion and low sodium diet vs. Normotensive controls and liberal sodium diet was evaluated on IL-6 response to an ANGII infusion (p=≤ 0.001). Angiotensin II infusion significantly increased IL-6 levels from baseline in both hypertensive (28%) and normotensive (31%) subjects (P≤0.001).