The Effect of Renal Denervation on T Cells in Patients with Resistant Hypertension

Figures

• 

  Figure 1. Comparison of inflammatory activity between patients with resistant hypertension and healthy controls. (A)—Concentrations of various pro-inflammatory cytokines and proteins among study groups at entry. (B,C)—The frequencies of different T-cell subsets among healthy individuals and patients with resistant hypertension at study entry. RH—resistant hypertension, hsCRP—high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, TNF-α—tumor necrosis factor alfa, IL-6—interleukin 6, CD4+—T helper cells, CD8+—T cytotoxic cells, TCM—central memory cells, TEM—effector memory cells, TEMRA—effector memory residential cells. *** represents significant difference between the groups with p < 0.001, ** p < 0.01, * p < 0.05, ns – not significant using unpaired t-test or Mann–Whitney test.

• 

  Figure 2. The effect of renal denervation procedure on blood pressure and inflammatory activity. (A)—Changes in ambulatory and automated office blood pressure among patients with resistant hypertension. Responders were defined by a systolic office blood pressure reduction of at least 10 mmHg following the renal denervation procedure. (B)—High-sensitivity CRP and IL-6 levels at baseline and 6 months following RDN among responders and non-responders. (C)—A negative correlation between CD4+ effector memory cell frequencies and automated office blood pressure was observed (r −0.421, p = 0.02, and r −0.413, p = 0.02, for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively), as well as a negative correlation between CD8+ effector memory and diastolic ambulatory blood pressure (r −0.424, p = 0.02). Green colored area represents a blood pressure reduction ≥10mmHg. (D)—CD8+ TEMRA cells positive for pro-inflammatory cytokines before and after the treatment among responders and non-responders. On the left, CD8+ TEMRA cells positive for TNF-α and, on the right, the ones positive for IFN-γ. sABPM—systolic ambulatory blood pressure measurement, sAOBPM—systolic automated office blood pressure…