Brothers of women with
polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were found to be at increased risk for cardiometabolic disorders. This risk may be exacerbated by concurrent poorly controlled
hypertension.
Angiotensin II receptor blockers are the most frequently used
antihypertensive drugs. The aim of the present study was to compare blood pressure-lowering and pleiotropic effects of
telmisartan between male siblings of PCOS probands and unrelated men. The study included 2 age-, blood pressure-, and mass index-matched groups of men with grade 1
hypertension: 24 brothers of women with PCOS (group A) and 26 brothers of healthy women (group B). All subjects were treated with
telmisartan (80 mg daily). Blood pressure,
glucose homeostasis markers, and plasma
lipids, as well as plasma levels of total
testosterone, bioavailable
testosterone,
androstenedione,
uric acid,
high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (
hsCRP),
homocysteine,
fibrinogen, and
25-hydroxyvitamin D were measured before and after 12 weeks of
therapy. At entry, there were between-group differences in the degree of
insulin resistance, plasma levels of
high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol,
triglycerides, calculated bioavailable
testosterone,
androstenedione,
hsCRP, and
25-hydroxyvitamin D. Although
telmisartan reduced blood pressure in both study groups, this effect was stronger in group B. Irrespective of the study group, the drug improved
insulin sensitivity and reduced circulating levels of
uric acid and
homocysteine, but these effects were more pronounced in group B than group A. Only in group B,
telmisartan decreased
hsCRP and
fibrinogen, as well as increased
25-hydroxyvitamin D. The obtained results suggest that hypertensive male relatives of PCOS probands may gain less benefit from
telmisartan treatment than unrelated hypertensive men.