Association between Vitamin D Deficiency and Levels of Renin and Angiotensin in Essential Hypertension

Abstract

Objective. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone levels in patients with essential hypertension. Methods. The present study observed two groups of patients from Urumqi, Xinjiang, China, from April 2017 to March 2018. There were two subject groups: the hypertension group (80 patients with essential hypertension selected by random cluster sampling) and the control group (76 healthy adults). The 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D or vitamin D) levels were measured through electrolytes; fasting blood glucose, blood lipids, and other biochemical indicators were detected using immune chemiluminescence; and plasma renin activity and angiotensin II concentrations were detected with radio-immunity. Results. Comparison between the hypertension group and control group showed statistically significant differences in the systolic pressure and levels of 25(OH)D, renin, and triglycerides ( $P<0.05$ ). The correlation analysis showed that 25(OH)D was negatively correlated with renin (r = –0.185; $P=0.021$ ) and positively correlated with systolic pressure (r = –0.105; $P=0.035$ ). There were no statistically significant differences in diastolic pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides between the two groups. Conclusions. The results of the present study show that vitamin D deficiency is common in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China and vitamin D levels are negatively correlated with renin levels. Vitamin D plays an important role in regulating blood pressure by affecting renin levels through the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.