Hemoglobin Levels and Blood Pressure are Associated in Rural Black Africans
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Date
2015
Authors
Rasmussen, J. B.
Mwaniki, D. L.
Kaduka, L. U.
Boit, M. K.
Johnsen, K. B.
Friis, H.
Christensen, D.L.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wiley
Abstract
Objectives: The association between blood levels of hemoglobin (B-hgb) and blood pressure (BP) has been widely
investigated in Caucasians and Asians but there is a paucity of data in rural black Africans. The objective was to investigate
the association between B-hgb and BP in a rural black African population.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three districts in Kenya (Bondo, Kitui, and Transmara) with the
inclusion of participants aged 17 years. Background information, anthropometry, BP, B-hgb, hepatic insulin resistance
(HOMA2-IR), standard lipid profile, and oral glucose tolerance test were obtained in each participant.
Results: Background characteristics among 1,167 participants showed that anemic and non-anemic participants differed
significantly from each other as there were more women, lower body mass index and waist circumference (WC),
lower degree of hepatic insulin resistance and plasma cholesterols among the anemic participants. Furthermore, anemic
participants had significantly lower systolic and diastolic BP (P<0.01) but not a significantly different prevalence
of hypertension (P50.08). Multivariate linear regression models adjusted for—age, sex, plasma total-cholesterol, WC,
Log2(HOMA2-IR), ethnicity, and smoking status—revealed that B-hgb (per mmol/l increment) was significantly associated
with systolic BP (estimate: 1.18 (0.37–1.98)) and diastolic BP (estimate: 1.06 (0.54–1.57)) (P<0.01).
Conclusions: B-hgb is associated with BP in rural black Africans. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 00:000–000, 2015
Description
Research article