Association of anthropometric and oxidative status with aging rates in patients with arterial hypertension

The aim of the work was to determine association between anthropometric parameters, indicators of aging and markers of oxidative stress, as a possible link between anthropometric status and rates of aging, among patients with arterial hypertension (AH). 
Materials and methods. Examinations involved 97 with AH of I — II stage (60.8 % women), with the mean age of 49.5 [41.0;56.4] years, who constituted the main group. The control group consisted of 20 age‑ and gender‑matched healthy volunteers. Depending on the age, patients with AH were divided into subgroups: group 1 with age younger than 45 years (n = 31), group 2 aged 45 to 59 years (n = 55), group 3 older than 60 years (n = 11). Anthropometric parameters and indicators of oxidative state (total antioxidant capacity (TAC); content of total hydroperoxides (THP); total antioxidant activity (TAA); THP/TAA ratio) were determined for all patients. Calendar age (hereinafter — age), biological age (BA), mortality risk, telomere length (TL) in blood and buccal epithelium, telomerase activity (TA), level of global methylation (GM) of DNA were selected as indicators of aging. Assessment of BA and risk of mortality was carried out according to the method of M. E. Levine et al. (2018). 
Results. It has been established that the older age category in the main group was characterized by significantly higher BA (p = 0.0001) and mortality risk (p = 0.0001). In young and middle‑aged patients, changes in body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist volume to hip volume ratio (WC/HC), visceral fat level (VF) were associated with changes in BA, risk of mortality, level of GM. Compared to normal weight patients, overweight patients had higher levels of THP (p = 0.019) and TAC (p = 0.001). Obese patients compared to normal weight patients had higher THP levels (p = 0.004), higher BA (p = 0.018), risk of mortality (p = 0.009) and GM level (p = 0.005). Patients with high central fat accumulation (according to OT values) and patients with elevated WC/HC ratio had higher BA (p = 0.044 and p = 0.040) and mortality risk (p = 0.035 and p = 0.050) respectively compared to patients with normal values for these indicators, and patients with high WC/HC ratio additionally had a significantly higher GM level (p = 0.042). Compared to patients with normal VF, patients with high and very high VF had significantly higher levels of TAA (p = 0.018 and p = 0.026) and THP (p = 0.015 and p = 0.042) respectively. In addition, patients with very high VF compared to subgroups with high and normal VF levels had significantly higher BA (p = 0.004 and p = 0.018) and mortality risk (p = 0.004 and p = 0.016) respectively. 
Conclusions. In young and middle‑aged hypertensive patients changes in anthropometric parameters were associated with changes in aging indicators. BA and mortality risk calculated according to the method of M. E. Levine et al. (2018) proved to be effective indicators of aging rates and depended on the severity of anthropometric disorders. A pronounced increase in the BMI and WC/HC ratio in patients with AH were accompanied by a significant increase in the GM level. An increase in the activity of oxidative processes against the background of depletion of antioxidant protection systems is one of the mechanisms that causes the aging acceleration in patients with AH due to obesity, determined by BMI and VF. 
 