P30 A 12-Week Exercise Training Program Reduces Endothelial Damage in Resistant Hypertension.

Background: Resistant Hypertension (RH) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and poor prognosis. Exercise training studies in RH patients have shown promising outcomes, nonetheless, none determine the impact of exercise on endothelial damage and repair. Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) are a reliable indicator of vascular damage and dysfunction. Recent studies in hypertension suggest that increased levels of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), a marker of endothelial repair, are related to increased CECs in order to compensate endothelial damage. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effect of 12-week aerobic exercise program on the percentage of EPCs and CECs in RH patients. Methods: Patients with RH were randomized to a 12-week aerobic exercise program (3 xs/week) (n = 13) and a usual care control group (n = 8). Outcome measures included clinical data, ambulatory blood pressure data and circulating levels of EPCs, hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and CECs, quantified by flow cytometry. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03090529). Results: Baseline characteristics were similar between groups, including the number of antihypertensive drugs (5.0 ± 0.9 vs. 4.8 ± 0.7, p = 0.517). After 12 weeks, no significant changes were found in the levels of HSCs in both groups. The levels of CECs decreased in the exercise group [0.0073 (0.0016)% to 0.0058 (0.0029), p = 0.019]; no changes were observed in the control group. EPC’s decreased only in the exercise group [0.0071 (0.0027)% to 0.0052 (0.0037)%, p = 0.046]. Conclusions: Exercise training reduces endothelial injury/damage (reduced CECs levels) in RH patients, a specific group who is a challenge for clinicians as the available treatment options have reduced success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]