Clin Hypertens.  2018 ;24(1):3. 10.1186/s40885-018-0088-2.

Neck circumference is independently associated with relative systemic hypertension in young adults with sickle cell anaemia

• Olatunji L
• Olabode OP
• Akinlade O
• Babatunde
• Olatunji V
• Soladoye A

• KMID: 2434257
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1186/s40885-018-0088-2

Abstract

BACKGROUND
A seemingly interesting observation in patients with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is that they usually have lower systemic blood pressures (BP) and insulin resistance than persons in the general population in spite of chronic inflammation and vasculopathy. However, relative systemic hypertension (rHTN) has been linked to pulmonary hypertension, increased blood viscosity and renal insufficiency, which could indicate a risk of developing cardiometabolic disorder (CMD) in SCA. We therefore hypothesized that neck circumference (NC) and CMD marker; triglyceride glucose (TyG) index would independently predict rHTN in young adults with SCA in steady state.
METHODS
We compared the anthropometrical, hematological, hemorheological and CMD markers between SCA patients with normal BP"‰<"‰120/70 mmHg; nHTN, n"‰="‰65) and those with rHTN (BP"‰â‰¥"‰120/70 mmHg, n"‰="‰32).
RESULTS
Our results showed that SCA with rHTN had significantly higher body weight, waist circumference, NC, plasma viscosity, systolic and diastolic BP. Results also indicated that NC (OR: 2.98; 95% CI 1.46 to 6.10, p"‰<"‰0.01) was a predictor of rHTN in SCA independent of gender, age, weight, waist circumference, BMI, blood viscosity, triglyceride or TyG. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis also showed that NC was the most efficient predictor of rHTN than other CMD markers.
CONCLUSION
The present study demonstrates that increased NC is a salient risk factors that is independently associated with rHTN in SCA. The finding therefore underscores the utility of NC in early detection and stratification of systemic hypertension, particularly in individuals with SCA.

Keyword

Arterial blood pressure; Cardiometabolic disorder; Neck circumference; Sickle cell disease; Upper-body fat accumulation

MeSH Terms

Anemia, Sickle Cell
Arterial Pressure
Blood Viscosity
Body Weight
Glucose
Humans
Hypertension*
Hypertension, Pulmonary
Inflammation
Insulin Resistance
Neck*
Plasma
Renal Insufficiency
Risk Factors
ROC Curve
Triglycerides
Viscosity
Waist Circumference
Young Adult*
Glucose