Association between the 2d:4d and cardiovascular risk factors: Body mass index, blood pressure and body fat

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Studies have demonstrated that metabolic complications from child obesity, although silent, increase the risk of development of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. The present paper sought to describe the prevalence of overweight/obesity and analyze the possible relationship between obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors among children and adolescents. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study, conducted in a university. METHODS: The study included 564 children and adolescents, aged 8 to 17 years. Body mass index and waist circumference were used to evaluate obesity. Other cardiovascular risk factors were evaluated, like systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glycemia, triglycerides and total cholesterol. Descriptive analysis was used for sample characterization, the chi-square test for categorical variables and Pearson's linear correlation for evaluating the relationship between obesity indicators and other cardiovascular risk factors. RESULTS: High prevalence of overweight/obesity was found among the schoolchildren (25.3% among the boys and 25.6% among the girls), along with abdominal obesity (19.0%). The overweight/obese schoolchildren presented higher percentages for the pressure and biochemical indicators, compared with underweight and normal-weight schoolchildren. Body mass index and waist circumference showed a weak correlation with the variables of age and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.001), but there was no correlation between these obesity indices and biochemical variables. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of overweight/obesity and its relationship with other cardiovascular risk factors demonstrate that it is necessary to develop intervention and prevention strategies from childhood onwards, in order to avoid development of chronic-degenerative diseases in adulthood.

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Independent cardiovascular risk factors: hyperhomocysteinemia and vascular stiffness in patients with hypertension

HYPERTENSION ◽

10.22141/2224-1485.14.1.2021.227395 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 5-16

Author(s):

O.L. Rekovets ◽

Yu.M. Sirenko ◽

O.O. Torbas ◽

S.M. Kushnir ◽

H.F. Prymak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Blood Pressure ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Glomerular Filtration Rate ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Arterial Stiffness ◽

Cardiovascular Risk Factors ◽

Glomerular Filtration ◽

Body Mass ◽

Filtration Rate

Background. Identification of risk factors and preliminary assessment of overall cardiovascular risk in patients with hypertension is the most important task in clinical practice. Most patients, in addition to high blood pressure (BP), have other cardiovascular risk factors that aggravate each other, leading to an increase in overall cardiovascular risk. One of the cardiovascular risk factors is an increased arterial stiffness. Arterial stiffness is evaluated using pulse wave velocity (PWV). The other independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases is elevated level of total homocysteine in the blood. The purpose was to evaluate the relationship between hyperhomocysteinemia (HHc) and vascular stiffness in patients with hypertension. Materials and methods. Our research was carried out as a part of the ХІПСТЕР trial in Ukraine. The study included 40 patients with hypertension stage 1 and 2 (average office systolic (SBP)/diasto-lic blood pressure (DBP) was 155.88/92.60 ± 1.63/1.43 mmHg, heart rate — 71.40 ± 1.29 bpm). The average age of the patients was 55.85 ± 2.09 (26–74) years. Individuals with homocysteine levels ≥ 10 μmol/l were referred to as those with HHc (H-type hypertension). Arterial stiffness was determined by PWV. Results. We found that at the beginning of the study, 75 % of patients (30 individuals with mild and moderate hypertension) had H-type hypertension with an increased level of homocysteine. Patients with H-type hypertension (HHc) and hypertension without HHc did not differ in terms of age, duration of hypertension. At the same time, patients with H-type hypertension had higher body weight and body mass index. Office SBP in patients with H-type hypertension at baseline and after 6 months of treatment was higher compared to patients without HHc (156.45 ± 1.04 mmHg and 152.55 ±1.41 mmHg (p < 0.05) at baseline vs 130.65 ± 0.96 mmHg and 126.97 ± 1.08 mmHg (p < 0.05) in 6 months). At the beginning of the study, body mass index was 30.72 ± 0.39 kg/m2 in patients with H-type hypertension vs 28.34 ± 0.69 kg/m2 in those without HHc (p < 0.05). Patients with H-type hypertension less often achieved target blood pressure levels during treatment and initially had higher blood pressure values. Individuals with H-type hypertension compared to patients without HHc had a more severe insulin resistance (according to the homeostatic model assessment), lower glomerular filtration rate, both at baseline and by the end of treatment. According to ambulatory blood pressure monitoring data, before the start of treatment, patients with H-type hypertension compared to those with hypertension without HHc had a significantly higher SBP level. After regression analysis, homocysteine level was associated with PWVel, regardless of the degree of BP reduction (PWVel (6 months), m/s, b = 0.307, P = 0.001). Conclusions. Male gender, body mass index, glomerular filtration rate, blood glucose, office and central blood pressure were associated with elevated serum homocysteine levels.

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Haematocrit: Relationships with Blood Lipids, Blood Pressure and other Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Thrombosis and Haemostasis ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1648811 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 72 (01) ◽

pp. 058-064 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Goya Wannamethee ◽

A Gerald Shaper

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Blood Pressure ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Cardiovascular Risk Factors ◽

Alcohol Intake ◽

Blood Lipids ◽

The Other ◽

The Relationship

SummaryThe relationship between haematocrit and cardiovascular risk factors, particularly blood pressure and blood lipids, has been examined in detail in a large prospective study of 7735 middle-aged men drawn from general practices in 24 British towns. The analyses are restricted to the 5494 men free of any evidence of ischaemic heart disease at screening.Smoking, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol intake and lung function (FEV1) were factors strongly associated with haematocrit levels independent of each other. Age showed a significant but small independent association with haematocrit. Non-manual workers had slightly higher haematocrit levels than manual workers; this difference increased considerably and became significant after adjustment for the other risk factors. Diabetics showed significantly lower levels of haematocrit than non-diabetics. In the univariate analysis, haematocrit was significantly associated with total serum protein (r = 0*18), cholesterol (r = 0.16), triglyceride (r = 0.15), diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.17) and heart rate (r = 0.14); all at p <0.0001. A weaker but significant association was seen with systolic blood pressure (r = 0.09, p <0.001). These relationships remained significant even after adjustment for age, smoking, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol intake, lung function, presence of diabetes, social class and for each of the other biological variables; the relationship with systolic blood pressure was considerably weakened. No association was seen with blood glucose and HDL-cholesterol. This study has shown significant associations between several lifestyle characteristics and the haematocrit and supports the findings of a significant relationship between the haematocrit and blood lipids and blood pressure. It emphasises the role of the haematocrit in assessing the risk of ischaemic heart disease and stroke in individuals, and the need to take haematocrit levels into account in determining the importance of other cardiovascular risk factors.

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The role of physical activity on cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents

Paediatrica Indonesiana ◽

10.14238/pi50.4.2010.220-5 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 50 (4) ◽

pp. 220

Author(s):

Nadia Dwi Insani ◽

Sukman Tulus Putra ◽

Agus Firmansyah

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Blood Pressure ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Cardiovascular Risk Factors ◽

High Activity ◽

Blood Lipid ◽

Waist To Hip Ratio ◽

Activity Group

Background Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide. Atherosclerotic process increases rapidly during adolescence. Physical activity is considered important in this period to modify cardiovascular risk factors, thus preventing disease in the future.Objective To determine whether different physical activity status in adolescence can influence body mass index (BMBMI), waist-to-hip ratio, blood pressure (BP), and blood lipid profile.Methods This was a cross-sectional descriptive study, conducted from December 2009 to January 2010. Adolescents who fulfilled the study criteria were classified into high and low physical activity category. Further examination including body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, blood pressure, and blood lipid profile were performed.Results Adolescents with high physical activity had higher, but statistically insignificant, BMBMI compared to adolescents in the P=0.493] and significantly lower waist-to-hip ratio [0.80 (range 0.73-0.9) vs.. 0.82 (range 0.7-0.9), P=0.019]. Difference in BP was not statistically significant between both groups [diastolic BP (70 (range 60-90) mmHg vs. 70 (range 60-90) mmHg, P=0.148; systolic BP 100 (range 90-130) mmHg vs. 100 (range 90-140) mmHg, P=0.228)]. Blood lipid examination in the high activity group showed significantly higher HDL cholesterol and lower triglyceride compared to the low activity group [HDL 59.8 (SD 11.8) mg/dL vs. 54.7 (SD 8.9) mg/dL; p=0.044; triglyceride: 60 (range 32-203) mmHg vs. 82 (range 37-198) mmHg, P=0.014]. Total and LDL cholesterol [total cholesterol 169.8 (SD 28.6) mmHg vs. 181.2 (SD 30.8) mmHg, P=0.107; LDL 103.6 (SD 26.8) mmHg vs. 114.1 (SD 27.3) mmHg, P=0.100] were lower in the high activity group but not statistically different in both groups.Conclusions Adolescents with high physical activity show less cardiovascular risk factors compared to those in the low physical activity group.

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