Evaluation of Serum Nitric Oxide Levels Across Ethnic Groups and Its Association with Hypertension in Aceh

Desiana Gunawan (Hospital of dr.Zainoel Abidin)
Cut Murzalina (Universitas Syiah Kuala)
Munadi Munadi (Universitas Syiah Kuala)

Jurnal Sains dan Teknologi
Vol. 5 No. 5 (2026): Oktober 2026

Hypertension is a global health problem, affecting an estimated 1.4 billion people worldwide. The pathophysiology of hypertension is multifactorial and involves complex mechanisms, one of which is endothelial dysfunction, marked by disruption of NO production and its bioavailability. NO is a key modulator of vasodilation that takes part in controlling vascular homeostasis. This research aims to evaluate NO serum among three ethnicities in Aceh to assess its role in hypertension pathogenesis. This observational analytic research included 120 participants, comprising 90 hypertensive patients from three ethnic groups (Gayo, Aneuk Jamee, and Acehnese), with 30 participants in each ethnic group, and 30 normotensive individuals who served as the control group. The NO serum level among their ethnicities was analysed by the Kruskal-Wallis test, while the association between NO levels across three ethnicities and the control group (not hypertensive patients) was assessed by the Spearman test. The study found that the Gayo group had the highest NO level (51.79 pg/mL), followed by Aneuk Jamee (44.27 pg/mL) and the Acehnese group (31.87 pg/mL), with significant differences (p<0.001). The correlation analysis showed a weak relation, both across the three ethnic groups and when compared to the control group (p>0.05). Serum nitric oxide (NO) levels differ significantly among ethnic groups; however, no significant association was observed between ethnic groups and the incidence of hypertension.