Affiliations: Department of Clinical Methodology and Medico‐Surgical Technologies, Institute of Internal Medicine and Hypertension, Research Center of Hemorheology, Microcirculation, Oxygen Transport and Optical Technologies, University of Bari, Italy
Note: [] Corresponding author.
Abstract: In postmenopausal hypertensive women (PostMHW) the erythrocyte deformability (ED) is reduced if compared with premenopausal hypertensive women (PreMHW). This might partially explain the increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CD) in hypertensive women after menopause. Moreover a positive correlation exists between estradiol and rheological patterns in women. If PostMHW smoke cigarettes, there is an important decrease in hemorheological parameters. On the other hand if PostMHW are submitted to an hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) they can show controversial results with an impairment if hemorheological parameters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of smoking and HRT on PostMHW. We studied four groups of subjects: Group 1: PreMHW (10 F aged 35{}\pm{}3 years) non smokers; Group 2: PostMHW (8 F aged 45{}\pm{}2 years) non smokers; Group 3: PostMHW (14 F aged 48{}\pm{}4 years) smokers (20 cigarettes per day); Group 4: PostMHW (16 F aged 50{}\pm{}2 years) smokers (20 cigarettes per day) submitted to HRT. We evaluated Elongation Index of erythrocytes under torsion force of 30 pascals (EI – 30 Pa) using a new computerized instrument Laser assisted Optical rotational Red Cell Analyzer (LORCA) (Mechatronics, Hoorn, NL) acc. to Hardeman (1994) and, also with the same LORCA, Aggregation Index (AI), t. We measured the transcutaneous oxygen partial pressure (TcpO_{2}) in subclavicular standard area using a Transcutaneous Oximeter (Microgas 7650 Kontron Instruments with Combi Sensor) and total cholesterolaemia. In PostMHW our data showed a significant (p<{}0.01) impairment of hemorheological patterns and tissue oxygenation if compared with PreMHW (Group 1). In Group 3 there is a significant (p<{}0.01) decrease in EI, a significant (p<{}0.01) increase in AI, a significant (p<{}0.01) decrease in t and TcpO_{2} if compared with Control Group 1 and Group 2. Finally a further significant (p<{}0.01) impairment in hemorheology and tissue oxygenation showed Group 4. In conclusion, it seems necessary, that many studies will be performed to understand really protective action of HRT on cardiovascular diseases in PostMHW and it is necessary to suppress cigarette smoking to prevent cardiovascular complications in these patients.
