Correlation of C1q/Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Protein 1 with Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Essential Hypertension Patients

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a critical complication of hypertension that correlates with increased morbimortality. Its pathophysiology is complex and multifaceted likely involving various players that are still to be determined, particularly those with proinflammatory and profibrotic effects. Complement C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein 1 (CTRP1) is an antihypotensive adipokine that has recently been linked to adverse cardiometabolic changes and may contribute to the development of LVH. OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between CTRP1 and LVH in patients with essential hypertension. METHODS: A total of 360 patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension were enrolled from Ruijin Hospital between December 2015 and November 2017. Participants were divided into two groups: those with hypertension alone (n = 183) and those with hypertension complicated by LVH (n = 177). Plasma levels of CTRP1, adiponectin, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was calculated from echocardiographic measurements. Patients were further stratified by sex and by CTRP1 tertiles for subgroup analysis. RESULTS: Patients with hypertension and LVH showed significantly higher levels of CTRP1, IL-6, and LVMI compared to those with hypertension alone. In contrast, adiponectin levels were significantly lower in the LVH group. CTRP1 levels were positively correlated with LVMI in both males and females. Furthermore, patients in the highest CTRP1 tertile exhibited progressively elevated SBP, DBP, CRP, IL-6, and LVMI. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified CTRP1, IL-6, and adiponectin as independent factors associated with LVH. CONCLUSION: CTRP1 is independently associated with left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with essential hypertension, demonstrating a dose-response relationship with cardiac hypertrophy and inflammatory markers.