Assessment of Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Treated and Untreated Hypertensive Adults in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Hypertension is a leading global health concern, characterised by chronic low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress that drive a vicious cycle of vascular dysfunction, endothelial damage, and end-organ injury. Aim: This study evaluated serum levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers among hypertensive adults in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, to examine the variation in these biomarkers between untreated and treated hypertensive subjects. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 150 participants aged 25-65 years, divided into three groups: 50 treated hypertensives on medication, 50 newly-diagnosed untreated hypertensives, and 50 normotensive controls. All participants underwent anthropometric and blood pressure measurements. Venous blood (5mL) was collected for the laboratory quantification of serum levels of inflammatory markers: C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and oxidative stress biomarkers: malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT). Results: Findings reveal that study participants were relatively age-matched across the groups. Our data show significantly elevated body mass index (BMI), MDA, CRP and TNF among the treated hypertensive subjects compared to both the untreated hypertensive and normotensive controls (p<0.05). Conversely, we observed significantly reduced levels of GSH, GPx, CAT and SOD among the treated and untreated hypertensive groups compared to the normotensive control (p<0.05). Conclusion: The current study demonstrates that hypertension is characterised by chronic immuno-inflammatory dysregulation mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), which drives endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness. The persistence of these inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in treated patients underscores the need for adjunct antioxidant and immunomodulatory supplementation to improve vascular outcomes in hypertension.