Influence of obesity on biological age in patients with arterial hypertension

Background: The aim of this study was to establish the relationship between metabolic disorders, overweight and obesity with markers of accelerated ageing in patients with hypertension. Materials and methods: One hundred sixteen patients (the age 35–65 years, women 62.3%) with stage 1–2 grade 1–2 hypertension and low/moderate cardiovascular risk (CVR) were included in the study. 34 patients (27.59%) were obese, 50 patients (43.1%) were overweight, 32 patients (29.31%) had normal weight. Anthropometric, clinical, biochemical and molecular genetic methods (relative telomere length (RTL-b), telomerase activity (TA) and 5-methylcytosine global methyl level (GML) in DNA of blood mononuclear cells) were used. Epigenetic age was calculated using the DNAm PhenoAge epigenetic clock. Results: The increase markers of carbohydrate metabolism [glycated haemoglobin (HbA 1c ), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)], changes of lipid metabolism indicators [an increase in triglycerides (TG) and a decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL)] were revealed in the obese group, compared with the normal weight group (p < 0.05). We didn’t find differences in RTL-b in any groups (p > 0.05). But at the same time obese patients had higher GML and lower TA (p < 0.05). The accelerated ageing (by DNAm PhenoAge epigenetic clock) was association with higher visceral fat%, higher levels, TG, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, all parameters of carbohydrate metabolism (HbA1c, FPG, Insulin, HOMA-IR) and lower HDL-C (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Pathological weight gain associated with the progression of metabolic disorders and accelerated ageing in patients with hypertension and low/moderate cardiovascular risk.