Effects of antihypertensive therapy on matrix metalloproteinase-9 levels in controlled hypertensive patients

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), alongside peripheral blood pressure (BP) measurements, provides valuable insights into central hemodynamics, including pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AI75%), and central pressure-factors closely linked to arterial stiffness. The progression of arterial stiffness is associated with matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), an extracellular matrix enzyme. This study aims to assess the correlation between variables obtained through ABPM and MMP-9 levels across different BP categories. A total of 101 individuals were enrolled, divided into three groups: 21 normotensive (NT), 36 prehypertensive (PH), and 44 controlled hypertensive (CHT) participants. Peripheral and central BP parameters were evaluated using the Mobil-O-Graph^® 24-hour PWA monitor, and plasma MMP-9 levels were measured in all participants. Participants' ages ranged from 30 to 71 years. MMP-9 concentrations were significantly higher in the PH group (4.74 ± 0.5 ng/mL) compared to the CHT group (4.41 ± 0.5 ng/mL; p = 0.002). MMP-9 levels showed a correlation with cardiac output and heart rate during all three ABPM evaluation periods (24 h, wakefulness, and sleep). PWV values were higher in the CHT group than in the PH group (8.1 ± 1.2 vs. 6.9 ± 1; p = 0.0003), whereas AI75% did not differ significantly between the groups (22.6 ± 8.9 vs. 19.8 ± 7.4; p = NS). Prehypertensive individuals exhibit higher MMP-9 levels compared to controlled hypertensive patients, suggesting that antihypertensive therapy may contribute to reduced plasma MMP-9 levels.