Angiogenesis and arteriogenesis are increased in fibrin chambers implanted in prehypertensive spontaneously hypertensive rats compared with Wistar-Kyoto rats. These results argue against microvascular rarefaction as a cause of hypertension using this model of angiogenesis.

Objectives: The QKD interval is measured between the onset of QRS on the ECG and detection of last Korotkoff sound by a microphone placed on the brachial artery while measuring BP. It is the sum of pre-ejection time and pulse transmission time and thus is correlated to pulse wave velocity (PWV). This interval is automatically monitored with BP and HR every 15 min during 24 h with an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring device (Diasys Integra, Novacor, France). The 96 measurements obtained allow one to automatically calculate the QKD 100-60 , the QKD value for 100 mmHg SBP and 60 beats/min HR. This indices of arterial stiffness has been shown to be linked to future cardiovascular (CV) events, independently of 24 h BP. However, this interval may be abnormally prolonged in cases of left bundle branch blocks (LBBB). Methods:We tested the effects of simply removing QRS duration from the QKD 100-60 value on the prediction of CV events in a population of 412 hypertensives (247 males, age ¼ 53 AE 14 years, office BP ¼ 158 AE 19/ 97 AE 11 mmHg, 24 h BP ¼ 133 AE 17/86 AE 11 mmHg) followed prospectively.Results: The mean follow-up was 65 months. Thirtytwo patients were lost, 49 CV events occurred including 11 deaths. The Cox model showed that baseline QKD 100-60 (m ¼ 202 AE 19, 142-254 ms) was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with events independently of age, 24 h SBP and other traditional risk factors. Removing QRS duration (m ¼ 85 AE 10, 61-158 ms) improves the relation to events (monovariate Khi deux ¼ 38 versus 30).Conclusion: Removing QRS duration from QKD 100-60 improves its predictive value of future CV events and allows one to use this method in patients with LBBB.Is masked hypertension an artefact due to the blood pressure measurement method and threshold effects? What is the true prevalence of masked hypertension? (OMRON 705CP) both at the doctor's office (three measurements at 1-min intervals) and at home by the patient himself/herself (three measurements in the morning and in the evening at 1-min intervals over the 7 days before the visit). The following definitions were used: office HT: SBP ! 140 mmHg, DBP ! 90 mmHg, SBP ! 140 mmHg or DBP ! 90 mmHg; home HT: SBP ! 135 mmHg, DBP ! 85 mmHg, SBP ! 135 mmHg or DBP ! 85 mmHg. Another definition of office HT used was SBP ! 135 mmHg, DBP ! 85 mmHg, SBP ! 135 mmHg or DBP ! 85 mmHg.Results: A total of 575 patients were analysed. Results from the two methods of measurements were close but significantly different (difference for SBP: 3.2 AE 16.5 mmHg, P < 0.0001; difference for DBP, 1.4 AE 10.3 mmHg, P ¼ 0.002) ( Table 1). Abstracts A1Reference 1 Flamant M, Tharaux PL, Placier S, Henrion D, Coffman T, Chatziantoniou C, et al. Epidermal growth factor receptor trans-activation mediates the tonic and fibrogenic effects of endothelin in the aortic wall of transgenic mice.

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Renal NaCl reabsorption is increased in Dahl ''saltsensitive'' (DS) rats, due to an increased activity of the Na-K-Cl cotransporter NKCC2 [1]. On the other hand, nitric oxide (NO) is an inhibitor of NKCC2 and a deficient nitric oxide synthase (NOS) seems to play an important role in salt-sensitivity of DS rats [2]. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that NKCC2 hyperactivity in DS rats is due to a deficient NOS, via the interactions cyclic GMP (cGMP)/cyclic AMP (cAMP) at the level of the thick ascending Henle's loop (TAL).DS rats DS (males, 250-300 g) and their normotensive controls DR (''salt-resistant'') are sacrificed, the kidneys removed and NKCC2 activity is measured in medullary TAL (mTAL) as previously described [1]. Medullary contents of NO are measured with a NitroFlux analyser by heat-reduction of nitrates and nitrites to NO. AMPc levels in mTAL are measured by an EIA immunotest.Neither L-NAME (3 mM), nor L-arginine were able to modify NKCC2 activity in mTAL from DS (pre-hypertensive) or DR rats. Levels of NO in the medullary interstitium and AMPc in mTAL were not significantly different between DS and DR rats. Conversely, in DS rats charged with 2% salt (in the food) during 7 weeks, L-arginine significantly inhibited NKCC2 in DS (35.6 AE 6,8 vs 25.3 AE 4.9 nmoles/mg protein/min; P , 0.05 non-paired Student's t-test), but not in DR rats.In conclusion, NKCC2 in our mTAL preparation of prehypertensive DS and DR rats is insensitive to L-NAME and L-arginine. This suggests the absence of a functional NOS. NKCC2 hyperactivity of prehypertensive DS [5] is therefore not due to a deficient NOS. This was confirmed by the normal levels of interstitial NO and mTAL cAMP in prehypertensive DS rats. Finally, a salt-load seems to induce NOS expression in mTAL of DS rats. This last observation deserves further investigation. References 1 Alvarez-Guerra M, Garay RP. Renal Na-K-Cl cotransporter NKCC2 in Dahl salt-sensitive rats. J Hypertens 2002; 20:721-727. 2 Loscalzo J. Salt-sensitive hypertension and inducible nitric oxide synthase.Fish protein (FP) effect compared to casein (CAS) was studied on blood pressure (BP) evolution and glycemia in part, and on plasma lipid, angiotensin II and aldosterone concentrations and urinary aldosterone on the other hand, in SHR and in SHR with streptozotocininduced diabetes (SHR-STZ). Two groups of rats (6 SHR and 6 SHR-STZ) were fed for 2 months diet containing 20% CAS or 20% FP. One month before sacrifice, diabetes was induced into one group of rats by a single intraperitonealy injection of streptozotocin (STZ). The results showed that FP diminished blood pressure (À9%) in SHR, compared with CAS. In contrast, FP enhanced significantly blood pressure in SHR-STZ vs SHR (P , 0.01). There was no effect on glycemia with fish protein. FP compared to CAS involved a diminution (À41%) and (À17%) of total cholesterol and (À26%) and (À9%) of phospholipids in SHR and SHR-STZ, respectively. Moreover, a decrease of triacylglycerols (À21%) was noted in SHR-STZ with FP vs CAS. In SHR, plasma aldost...