BACKGROUNDS. Essential arterial hypertension is one of the most common chronic disea­ses of the circulation system. It is often linked to metabolic syndrome with corresponding clinical and biochemical changes of blood. We evaluated clinical and biochemical changes in serum in young healthy normotensive offspring of subjects with essential arterial hyper­tension in comparison to control group.

METHODS. This cross-sectional study included 77 sub­jects, 38 of whom were normotonics with familial trait and 39 age matched controls without familial trait. We evaluated anthropometric indexes and measured blood pressure. Serum concentrations of glucose, cholesterols, triglycerides, adiponectin and asymetric dymetilar- ginine were measured by enzymatic method, while insulin and C reactive protein were assessed by radio-immunoassay kit.

RESULTS. Subjects with familial trait had increased anthropome­tric indexes – body mass index and higher systolic blood pressure. They had also significantly higher concentrations of glucose, total and low-density lipoproteins cholesterol, triglyceri­des, C reactive protein, insulin and significantly lower concentrations of adiponectin howe­ver there were no differences in concentrations of asymetric dymetil arginine. In all subjects values of insulin was positively correlated with familial trait, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, concentration of triglycerides, glucose, C reactive protein and negatively correla­ted to adiponectin concentrations. Multiple regression model analysis revealed independent influence of positive family history, male gender, body mass index, triglyceride and adipo- nectin concentrations on hyperinsulinaemia.

CONCLUSIONS. Subjects with familial trait dif­fered from control group not only in blood pressure level, but also in certain clinical parameters and biochemical blood parameters. These parameters are a constitutive part of metabolic syndrome. We revealed independent influence of adiponectin but not of C reactive protein 246 on hyperinsulinaemia (insulin resistance). There were no significant differences between groups in asymetric dymetilarginine values.