Renal assessment: The kidney damage will be assessed by measuring creatinine plasma concentration, the glomerular filtration rate was estimated by CKD-EPI (Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration) [59] and the MDRD-IDMS (Modification of Diet in Renal Disease-Isotopic Dilution Mass Spectrometry) [60] equation and proteinuria were assessed by the albumin/creatinine ratio following the 2007 European Society of Hypertension/European Society of Cardiology Guidelines criteria [2]. Subclinical organ damage was defined as plasma creatinine between 1.3 - 1.5 mg/dl in men and 1.2 - 1.4 mg/dl in women, glomerular filtration rate below 60 ml/min or albumin/creatinine ratio > 22 mg/gr in men and 31 mg/ gr in women. Renal disease was defined as plasma creatinine of 1.5 mg/dl or higher in men and 1.4 mg/l in women or albumin/creatinine ratio > 300 mg/24 h.