Table 1 Clinical and laboratory characteristics of 21 patients with essential hypertension and 20 normotensive controls

Men/women

14/7

12/8

Age (years)

55 (9)

48 (9)

P = 0.102

BMI (kg m^-2)

25.6 (2.5)

24.2 (2.7)

P = 0.160

p-sodium (mmol l^-1)

139.4 (2.1)

139.6 (2.2)

P = 0.798

p-potassium (mmol l^-1)

3.9 (0.4)

3.9 (0.3)

P = 0.992

p-creatinine (μmol l^-1)

74.9 (9.4)

72.9 (10.9)

P = 0.532

24-h ambulatory

   SBP (mmHg)

144 (11)

119 (6)

P < 0.001

   DBP (mmHg)

87 (7)

75 (4)

P < 0.001

   HR (beats min^-1)

71 (13)

68 (7)

P = 0.503

Daytime ambulatory

   SBP (mmHg)

148 (11)

124 (7)

P < 0.001

   DBP (mmHg)

90 (8)

78 (4)

P < 0.001

   HR (beats min^-1)

74 (13)

71 (7)

P = 0.468

Nighttime ambulatory

   SBP (mmHg)

126 (12)

104 (12)

P < 0.001

   DBP (mmHg)

76 (9)

63 (4)

P < 0.001

   HR

59 (10)

56 (9)

P = 0.487