SORT1 and Hypertension: Plasma sortilin levels were significantly higher in stage 3 hypertension than in stage 1 hypertension and stage 2 hypertension (8.96 ± 1.73 ng/ml vs. 7.37 ± 1.63 ng/ml, P < 0.001; 8.96 ± 1.73 ng/ml vs. 7.89 ± 1.75 ng/ml, P < 0.001) (Figure 1C).