Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease (Jul 2023)

Association between Cardiovascular Health, C-Reactive Protein, and Comorbidities in Spanish Urban-Dwelling Overweight/Obese Hypertensive Patients

  • Ana María Armas-Padrón,
  • Miriam Sicilia-Sosvilla,
  • Pedro Ruiz-Esteban,
  • Armando Torres,
  • Domingo Hernández

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd10070300
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 7
p. 300

Abstract

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The relationship between poorer cardiovascular health metrics (CVHM) plus low-grade inflammation (LGI) and hypertension-mediated organ damage (HMOD) and hypertension-related comorbidities (HRC) in hypertensive populations with an overweight/obese (Ow/Ob) hypertension-related phenotype is understudied. We examined the relationship between the CVHM score and the presence of LGI and Ow/Ob hypertension-associated phenotype morbidities and mortality in 243 hypertensive patients from an urban primary care center. We recorded the baseline CVHM score plus clinical data, including hs-C-reactive protein (CRP) and prevalent and incident HMOD-HRC and death. A total of 26 (10.7%) had a body mass index (BMI) 2, 95 (31.1%) were overweight (BMI 25–29.9 kg/m2), and 122 (50.2%) were obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). There were 264 cases of HMOD-HRC and 9 deaths. Higher hs-CRP levels were observed as BMI increased. Linear regression analysis showed a significant correlation between BMI and hs-CRP, adjusted for confounders. Additionally, individuals with a higher hs-CRP tertile had a significant increase in BMI. Significantly lower log hs-CRP levels were found as the number of ideal CVHM scores rose. Multivariate binary logistic regression found the risk of HMOD-HRC increased significantly as the ideal CVHM scores decreased, and hs-CRP levels also correlated with HMOD-HRC in the whole cohort and in the Ow and Ob subpopulations. These findings highlight the need for early intervention targeting ideal CVHMs among hypertensive individuals with an Ow/Ob phenotype in order to attenuate the inflammatory state and prevent cardiovascular disease.

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