(Hypertension. 1995;25:1311-1314.)
© 1995 American Heart Association, Inc.
Articles |
Serum N-Acetyl-ß-D-Glucosaminidase Activity in Predicting the Development of Hypertension
From the Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume (Japan) University School of Medicine.
Correspondence to Ryuichi Hashimoto, MD, Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume City, Fukuoka 830, Japan.
Abstract We conducted a prospective study in residents of a
small farming community in southwestern Japan to determine whether
elevated serum N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase
(NAG) activity would predict future hypertension. The 505 normotensive
subjects (blood pressure, <140/90 mm Hg; mean age, 52±12 years) were
reexamined after 7 years; 111 (22%) had become hypertensive (defined
as blood pressure 
140/90 mm Hg and/or taking antihypertensive
medication at follow-up). After adjustment for age and sex, the
development of hypertension was significantly related to body mass
index (P<.002), the sum of skinfolds (P<.001),
baseline blood pressure (P<.0001), serum cholesterol
(P<.01), serum uric acid level (P<.0001), and
serum NAG activity (P<.005). Elevated NAG activity showed
an independent relationship to future hypertension (P<.005)
after adjustments for age, sex, baseline blood pressure (systolic,
diastolic, or mean), uric acid level, and the sum of skinfolds.
Therefore, elevated serum NAG activity was an effective indicator of
future hypertension, and it might therefore be related to functional
and/or structural changes in the cardiovascular system.
Key Words: acetylglucosaminidase • epidemiology • hypertension, arterial