Serum Sclerostin Is Associated with Peripheral and Central Systolic Blood Pressure in Pediatric Patients with Primary Hypertension

Abstract

Recent studies showed the significance of the canonical Wnt/beta-catenin pathway and its inhibitor—sclerostin, in the formation of arterial damage, cardiovascular morbidity, and mortality. The study aimed to assess serum sclerostin concentration and its relationship with blood pressure, arterial damage, and calcium-phosphate metabolism in children and adolescents with primary hypertension (PH). Serum sclerostin concentration (pmol/L) was evaluated in 60 pediatric patients with PH and 20 healthy children. In the study group, we also assessed calcium-phosphate metabolism, office peripheral and central blood pressure, 24 h ambulatory blood pressure, and parameters of arterial damage. Serum sclerostin did not differ significantly between patients with PH and the control group (36.6 ± 10.6 vs. 41.0 ± 11.9 (pmol/L), p = 0.119). In the whole study group, sclerostin concentration correlated positively with height Z-score, phosphate, and alkaline phosphatase, and negatively with age, peripheral systolic and mean blood pressure, and central systolic and mean blood pressure. In multivariate analysis, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and height expressed as Z-scores were the significant determinants of serum sclerostin in the studied children: height Z-score (β = 0.224, (95%CI, 0.017–0.430)), SBP Z-score (β = −0.216, (95%CI, −0.417 to −0.016)). In conclusion, our results suggest a significant association between sclerostin and blood pressure in the pediatric population.