Alterations in Serum Vanillylmandelic Acid Levels in patients With Hypertension: A Case-Control Study Serum Vanillylmandelic Acid Levels

Abstract

Background: The metabolic abnormalities and sympathetic activity are linked to hypertension. Catecholamine metabolism can be inferred indirectly from vanillylmandelic acid (VMA), which is the last metabolite of norepinephrine and epinephrine. However, it is unclear how serum VMA levels relate to antihypertensive medication, age, body weight, and hyperlipidemia in hypertensive individuals. Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the connection between serum VMA levels and hyperlipidemia, age, body mass index, and antihypertensive medication in men with hypertension and healthy controls.  Methods: Ninety men between the ages of thirty and fifty-nine were recruited from Al-Sader Teaching Hospital in Najaf to participate in case-control research. Of them, sixty had hypertension and thirty appeared healthy. The presence or absence of hyperlipidemia, treatment status (newly diagnosed or on antihypertensive medication), and body mass index were used to further categorize the hypertensive subjects. ELISA was used to measure the levels of serum VMA. The t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to compare groups; p < 0.05 was deemed statistically significant.   Results: Compared to healthy controls, hypertension patients had considerably higher serum VMA levels (p < 0.0001). VMA concentrations were highest in hypertensive patients who also had hyperlipidemia, and they increased with age. VMA levels were higher in newly diagnosed individuals than in those on antihypertensive medication. Furthermore, serum VMA levels rose gradually in all BMI groups, with obese individuals showing the highest levels. Conclusions: Increased sympathetic activity and altered catecholamine metabolism may be the cause of elevated blood VMA levels in hypertensive men, especially those with hyperlipidemia, obesity, advanced age, and recently diagnosed hypertension. More longitudinal investigations are required to confirm the clinical importance of serum VMA as a possible measure of cardiometabolic risk in hypertension.