Hyperpulsatile pressure, systemic inflammation and cardiac stress are associated with cardiac wall remodeling in an African male cohort: the SABPA study

Inflammation may contribute to an increase in cardiac wall stress through pathways related to cardiac remodeling. Cardiac remodeling is characterized by myocyte hypertrophy, myocyte death and modifications of the extracellular matrix. We sought to explore associations among cardiac remodeling, inflammation and myocardial cell injury in a bi-ethnic cohort of South African men and women. We included 165 men (76 African and 89 Caucasian) and 174 women (80 African and 94 Caucasian) between 20 and 65 years of age. Inflammatory markers used were C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), whereas troponin T (Trop T) and the N-terminal of pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were used as cardiac markers. The frequency of ischemic events (ST segment depression) and left ventricular strain (left ventricular hypertrophy: LVH) were monitored by a 24-h recording of ambulatory blood pressure (BP), ECG and 12-lead standard ECG. Hypertension diagnosed with ambulatory monitoring was more frequent in Africans (53.85 vs. 24.59%; P<0.001), as was the number of ischemic events (6 +/- 15 (1; 5) vs. 3 +/- 6 (0; 3)). Inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha) and the degree of LVH were all significantly higher in Africans (P<0.05). BP was associated (P<0.05) with Trop T in men across ethnic groups. In African men, cardiac stress (NT-proBNP) was associated with TNF-alpha (P<0.001), Trop T (P<0.001) and pulse pressure (P=0.048; adjusted R-2=0.45). The susceptibility for cardiac wall remodeling appears to increase with hyperpulsatile pressure, low-grade systemic inflammation and ventricular stress, and may lead to the development of future cardiovascular events in African men.