Effects of the angiotensin II receptor blocker losartan on the monocyte expression of biglycan in hypertensive patients

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Angiotensin II in this clinical trial publication.

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of treatment with the angiotensin AT(1) receptor antagonist losartan on monocyte BGN mRNA and protein expression in essential hypertension. 2.

Why It Was Studied

Biglycan mRNA and protein expression was determined in monocytes isolated from peripheral blood before (T(0)) and after (T(1)) therapy.

Plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were also determined.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 20 patients taking part.

The age groups tagged for this paper are adults and middle-aged adults, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

The timeline in the abstract includes 6 months.

What Was Measured

Plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were also determined.

PubMed files the paper under topics including Angiotensin II, Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers, Biglycan, Blood Pressure, C-Reactive Protein, Hypertension and Interleukin-6.

What This Means in Plain Language

This is a clinical trial of Angiotensin II in 20 patients over 6 months.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2010 (Clinical and experimental pharmacology & physiology), a journal based in Australia.

More context: the Angiotensin II compound page, all human trials.