Published online Jun 6, 2020. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i11.2246
Peer-review started: February 25, 2020
First decision: April 29, 2020
Revised: May 13, 2020
Accepted: May 21, 2020
Article in press: May 21, 2020
Published online: June 6, 2020
Processing time: 103 Days and 18.8 Hours
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors, including central obesity, high blood pressure, elevated plasma glucose, reduced high-density lipoprotein and elevated triglyceride levels.
To investigate the relationship between metabolic biomarkers and long-term blood pressure variability (BPV) in young males.
A cohort of 1112 healthy military males aged 18-40 years from the cardiorespiratory fitness and hospitalization events in armed forces study in eastern Taiwan was prospectively included. The following metabolic biomarkers were used: Waist circumference, serum uric acid (SUA), triglycerides, high density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and fasting glycose. BPV was assessed by average real variability (ARV) and standard deviation (SD) across 4 clinic visits during the study period (2012-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-18). Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to determine the association after adjusting for age, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), lipid profiles, physical activity, alcohol intake and tobacco smoking status.
In the unadjusted model, waist circumference was significantly and positively correlated with ARVDBP and SDDBP [β (standard errors) = 0.16 (0.049) and 0.22 (0.065), respectively], as was SUA [β = 0.022 (0.009) and 0.038 (0.012), respectively]. High-density lipoprotein was negatively correlated with ARVSBP [β = −0.13 (0.063)]. There were no associations with the other metabolic biomarkers. In contrast, only SUA was significantly correlated with SDSBP and SDDBP [β = 0.019 (0.011) and 0.027 (0.010), respectively] in the adjusted model.
Our findings showed that of traditional metabolic biomarkers, SUA had the strongest positive correlation with long-term systolic and diastolic BPV in young male adults, and the clinical relevance needs further investigation.
Core tip: This study examined the relationship between metabolic biomarkers and long-term blood pressure variability (BPV) in a military population of 1112 young males across 4 visits during a 7-year period. We found that serum uric acid and waist circumference were positively correlated with long-term BPV, whereas high-density lipoprotein was inversely correlated with long-term BPV in the unadjusted model. Only serum uric acid was positively correlated with long-term BPV in the fully adjusted model. Serum uric acid, which may reflect arterial stiffness, is likely one of the strongest metabolic biomarkers for long-term BPV and related cardiovascular risk in young male adults.