The predictive value of repeated blood pressure measurements in childhood for cardiovascular risk in adults: the Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension Study

Study on the relationship between body mass index and blood pressure indices in children aged 7-17 during COVID-19

Background

To explore the relationship between body mass index (BMI), age, sex, and blood pressure (systolic blood pressure, SBP; diastolic blood pressure, DBP) in children during COVID-19, providing reference for the prevention and screening of hypertension in children.

Methods

This study adopted a large-scale cross-sectional design to investigate the association between BMI and blood pressure in 7-17-year-old students in City N, China, during COVID-19. Thirty-six primary and secondary schools in City N were sampled using a stratified cluster sampling method. A total of 11,433 students aged 7-17 years in City N, China, were selected for blood pressure (Diastolic blood pressure, DBP, Systolic blood pressure, SBP), height, and weight, Resting heart rate (RHR), chest circumference, measurements, and the study was written using the STROBE checklist. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0, calculating the mean and standard deviation of BMI and blood pressure for male and female students in different age groups. Regression analysis was employed to explore the impact of BMI, age, and sex on SBP and DBP, and predictive models were established. The model fit was evaluated using the model R2.

Results

The study included 11,287 primary and secondary school students, comprising 5,649 boys and 5,638 girls. It was found that with increasing age, BMI and blood pressure of boys and girls generally increased. There were significant differences in blood pressure levels between boys and girls in different age groups. In regression models, LC, Age, BMI, and chest circumference show significant positive linear relationships with SBP and DBP in adolescents, while RHR exhibits a negative linear relationship with SBP. These factors were individually incorporated into a stratified regression model, significantly enhancing the model's explanatory power. After including factors such as Age, Gender, and BMI, the adjusted R2 value showed a significant improvement, with Age and BMI identified as key predictive factors for SBP and DBP. The robustness and predictive accuracy of the model were further examined through K-fold cross-validation and independent sample validation methods. The validation results indicate that the model has a high accuracy and explanatory power in predicting blood pressure in children of different weight levels, especially among obese children, where the prediction accuracy is highest.

Conclusion

During COVID-19, age, sex, and BMI significantly influence blood pressure in children aged 7-17 years, and predictive models for SBP and DBP were established. This model helps predict blood pressure in children and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Confirmation of factors such as sex, age, and BMI provide a basis for personalized health plans for children, especially during large-scale infectious diseases, providing guidance for addressing health challenges and promoting the health and well-being of children.

Association of high-normal albuminuria and vascular aging: Hanzhong adolescent hypertension study

Normoalbuminuria has recently been associated with increased cardiovascular risk, and vascular aging is proposed as the early manifestation of cardiovascular disease. Here, the authors aimed to examine the association of high-normal albuminuria and vascular aging in a Chinese cohort. From our previously established cohort, 1942 participants with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) <30 mg/g were enrolled. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) ≥1400 cm/s and/or carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) ≥0.9 mm were used as indicators of vascular aging. Multivariate regression and receiving operating characteristic curve analysis were performed to examine the relationship between continuous and categorical UACR with vascular aging. We found an average UACR value of 8.08 (5.45-12.52) mg/g in this study. BaPWV and CIMT demonstrated positive correlations with lg-UACR (p < .05). High-normal albuminuria (10-29 mg/g) was significantly associated with the presence of vascular aging after adjusting for multiple cardiovascular confounders (OR = 1.540, 95% CI = 1.203-1.972, p = .001). In addition, a lg-UACR cutoff point of 0.918 lg(mg/g) (equal to UACR of 8.285 mg/g) was significantly associated with the presence of vascular aging and its components for all participants and those without hypertension or diabetes and without medication (p < .05). Briefly, high-normal albuminuria was significantly associated with vascular aging in this sample of Chinese adults. These findings implied the warning of elevated UACR even within normal range in clinical practice and the importance of UACR screening in normoalbuminuria for early detection and prevention of cardiovascular disease in otherwise healthy participants.

Associations of lipid accumulation product, visceral adiposity index, and triglyceride-glucose index with subclinical organ damage in healthy Chinese adults

Background and aims

Obesity is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease development. Here, we aimed to examine and compare the predictive values of three novel obesity indices, lipid accumulation product (LAP), visceral adiposity index (VAI), and triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, for cardiovascular subclinical organ damage.

Methods

A total of 1,773 healthy individuals from the Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension Study cohort were enrolled. Anthropometric, biochemical, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and Cornell voltage-duration product data were collected. Furthermore, the potential risk factors for subclinical organ damage were investigated, with particular emphasis on examining the predictive value of the LAP, VAI, and TyG index for detecting subclinical organ damage.

Results

LAP, VAI, and TyG index exhibited a significant positive association with baPWV and uACR. However, only LAP and VAI were found to have a positive correlation with Cornell product. While the three indices did not show an association with electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy, higher values of LAP and TyG index were significantly associated with an increased risk of arterial stiffness and albuminuria. Furthermore, after dividing the population into quartiles, the fourth quartiles of LAP and TyG index showed a significant association with arterial stiffness and albuminuria when compared with the first quartiles, in both unadjusted and fully adjusted models. Additionally, the concordance index (C-index) values for LAP, VAI, and TyG index were reasonably high for arterial stiffness (0.856, 0.856, and 0.857, respectively) and albuminuria (0.739, 0.737, and 0.746, respectively). Lastly, the analyses of continuous net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) demonstrated that the TyG index exhibited significantly higher predictive values for arterial stiffness and albuminuria compared with LAP and VAI.

Conclusion

LAP, VAI, and, especially, TyG index demonstrated utility in screening cardiovascular subclinical organ damage among Chinese adults in this community-based sample. These indices have the potential to function as markers for early detection of cardiovascular disease in otherwise healthy individuals.

Childhood modifiable risk factors and later life chronic kidney disease: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Relationships between adulthood modifiable risk factors and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are well-established, but associations with childhood risk factors are unclear. This study systematically assesses the published evidence about childhood modifiable risk factors and adulthood CKD.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science to 6th May 2022. Articles were included if (1) they were population-based longitudinal studies, (2) exposures were potentially modifiable, for example through pharmacological or lifestyle modifications, including clinical conditions/measures (diabetes, blood pressure, adiposity, and dyslipidaemia); health behaviours (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, fitness, and poor nutrition); and socio-economic factors (socio-economic position), and occurred during childhood (ages 2-19 years), and (3) outcome was CKD or surrogate markers of CKD in adulthood (ages 20 years or older). Three reviewers independently extracted the data.

RESULTS

15,232 articles were identified after deduplication; 17 articles met the inclusion criteria, reporting childhood blood pressure (n = 8), adiposity (n = 4), type 2 diabetes (n = 1), socio-economic position (n = 1), famine (n = 1), cardiorespiratory fitness (n = 1), and a healthy lifestyle score (n = 1). The results suggested positive associations of childhood adiposity, type 2 diabetes, and low socio-economic position and cardiorespiratory fitness in females with CKD in adulthood. Findings were inconsistent on associations between childhood BP and CKD in adulthood. Childhood healthy lifestyle score and exposure to famine were not associated with risk of CKD in adulthood.

CONCLUSIONS

The limited evidence suggests childhood factors may contribute to the CKD risk in adulthood, particularly adiposity, type 2 diabetes, and low socio-economic position and cardiorespiratory fitness in females. Further high-quality community-based studies are needed with long-term follow-up and investigation of a broader range of modifiable risk factors.

Isolated diastolic hypertension in childhood and risk of adult subclinical target organ damage: a 30-year prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Data on the association of isolated diastolic hypertension (IDH) in childhood with adult cardiovascular risk are scarce. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of IDH in adolescents and to explore the impact of IDH in childhood on adult subclinical target organ damage (STOD).

METHODS

This longitudinal study consisted of 1738 school children (55.4% boys) aged 6-15 years from rural areas of Hanzhong, Shaanxi, who were followed for 30 years. Their blood pressure was recorded to define the hypertension subtypes: normotension, IDH, isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) and mixed hypertension. Tracked STOD included arterial stiffness ( n  = 1738), albuminuria ( n  = 1652) and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) ( n  = 1429).

RESULTS

Overall, the prevalence of IDH, ISH and mixed hypertension was 5.4, 2.2 and 3%, respectively, and there was no gender difference. Over 30 years, 366 (21.1%) of participants developed arterial stiffness, 170 (10.3%) developed albuminuria and 68 (4.8%) developed LVH. Compared with normotensive participants, IDH in childhood had higher risk ratio (RR) of experiencing arterial stiffness (RR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.01-2.76) and albuminuria (RR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.35-4.16) in adults after being fully adjusted but not LVH. However, if the elevated blood pressure in children was used as the reference standard, IDH in childhood was associated with adult LVH (RR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.28-4.84).

CONCLUSION

IDH accounts for a higher proportion of adolescent hypertension subtypes and can increase the risk of adult STOD. These results highlight the necessity of improving the prevention, detection and treatment of IDH in adolescents.

Early life body mass index trajectories and albuminuria in midlife: A 30-year prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Albuminuria is a marker of vascular dysfunction and is associated with chronic renal and cardiovascular diseases. Data on the association between the longitudinal patterns of weight change early in life and albuminuria later in life are limited. We aimed to identify the body mass index (BMI) trajectory across a 30-year span and evaluate its association with middle-age albuminuria.

METHODS

Of the 4623 participants aged 6-18-year-old recruited by Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension Study cohort in northern China from March 10, 1987 to June 3, 2017, a total of 1,825 participants followed up with 6 visits over 30 years were enrolled. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to identify distinct BMI trajectories in longitudinal analyses. Albuminuria was defined as a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) ≥ 30 mg/g.

FINDINGS

Three distinct BMI trajectories were identified: low-increasing (n = 671, 36.8%), moderate-increasing (n = 940, 51.5%), and high-increasing (n = 214, 11.7%); male participants exhibited a steeper increase in BMI than females. The uACR was increased linearly from the low- to high-increasing group. A total of 201 individuals developed albuminuria, with an incidence of 11.0%. Compared with the low-increasing group, the odds ratio (OR) of albuminuria in middle age was 2.13(95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.26 to 3.61) for the high-increasing group after full adjustment for age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, marital status, systolic blood pressure, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. The unadjusted ORs of the high-increasing BMI group were 5.08 (2.76-9.37) for males and 3.45 (1.78-6.69) for females, and the association remained significant in males in the fully adjusted models.

INTERPRETATION

Higher BMI trajectories are associated with higher uACR and an increased risk of albuminuria in middle age, especially in males. Identifying long-term BMI trajectories from an early age may assist in predicting the risk of renal diseases and cardiovascular disease later in life.

FUNDING

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81600327, 82070437, 81870319, 82070549, and 82170437), Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi Province (2021JM-257 and 2021JM-588), Institutional Foundation of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University (2019QN-06 and 2021ZXY-14), the Clinical Research Award of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University of China (XJTU1AF-CRF-2019-004, XJTU1AF2021CRF-021, and XJTU1AFCRF-2017-021), Research Incubation Fund of Xi'an People's Hospital (FZ-61), Grants from the Major Chronic Non-communicable Disease Prevention and Control Research Key Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2017YFC1307604 and 2016YFC1300104).

Long-Term Blood Pressure Exposure From Childhood and Early Vascular Aging in Midlife: A 30-Year Prospective Cohort Study

Early vascular aging (EVA) increases cardiovascular mortality, but its long-term determinants are unknown. We included 2098 participants with ≥4 blood pressure (BP) measurements from childhood to adulthood (from the Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension Cohort study) to investigate the impact of child-to-adult cumulative BP exposure on EVA patterns in midlife. Participants with EVA had significantly higher long-term BP burden than those with normal vascular age in midlife despite being much younger. Child-to-adult cumulative burden and trends of systolic and diastolic BP were associated with vascular age (standardized regression coefficient [β] = .31 to .53; P < .001 for all). Higher cumulative systolic and diastolic BP exposure significantly increased the risk of EVA in midlife (odds ratio, OR=1.67 to 2.75, P < .05 for all). All associations were independent of socio-demographics and cardiovascular risk factors. Excluding participants who were receiving anti-hypertensive, antidiabetic, or lipid-lowering treatments did not substantially change the above associations. This study, for the first time, reported that high cumulative child-to-adult BP exposure accelerated the vascular aging process. Stabilizing BP across life course could be beneficial to vascular health in the long run.

Predictive Value of Galectin-3 and Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity for Coronary Artery Calcification in Coronary Arteriography Patients

OBJECTIVES

To study the predictive value for coronary artery calcification (CAC) of plasma galectin-3 and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (BaPWV) in coronary arteriography (CAG) patients.

METHODS

Patients who received coronary arteriography (CAG) examination were recruited. The level of plasma galectin-3 was measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The arterial stiffness was analyzed by BaPWV and ankle-brachial index (ABI) which were measured using a volume-plethysmographic device. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the prognostic value of galectin-3 or BaPWV for coronary artery calcification (CAC).

RESULTS

The level of galectin-3 and BaPWV was significantly higher in CAC patients compared with that in control (p < 0.01). The level of plasma galectin-3 was positively correlated with BaPWV (r = -0.296, p < 0.01) and negatively correlated with ABI (r = -0.296, p < 0.01). ROC curve analysis revealed that galectin-3 ≥5.90 ng/ml was the most powerful predictor for CAC with sensitivity of 85.5% and specificity of 83.5%. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.916. When the level of BaPWV was more than 1909 m/s, the sensitivity and specificity were 61.8% and 69.6%, respectively, for predicting CAC. The AUC was 0.646.

CONCLUSIONS

The level of plasma galectin-3 increases significantly in CAC patients compared to control, and its level is related to BaPWV and ABI. Galectin-3 and BaPWV can be used to predict CAC, and the diagnosis value (sensitivity and specificity) of galectin-3 for CAC is better than that of BaPWV.

The impact of PM2.5 on children's blood pressure growth curves: A prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore the association between exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 mm or less (PM2.5) and blood pressure (BP) levels in children and adolescents and to illustrate the impact of PM2.5 levels on BP growth curves in a cohort study.

METHODS

A longitudinal study was designed and included 4303 children (7617 BP measurements) living in the selected areas, and evaluations were conducted in 2014-2015 (visit 1) and followed up in 2019 (visit 2). Two-stage stratified cluster sampling was used to include urban-rural areas. A mixed linear regression model and mixed logistic regression model were used to analyze the effect of PM2.5 exposure on BP and the incidence of prehypertension and hypertension in children.

RESULTS

After adjusting for covariates, systolic blood pressure (SBP) (2.21 (95% CIs: 0. 81, 3.62), mmHg), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (1.92 (95% CIs: 0.74, 3.11), mmHg), mean arterial pressure (MAP) (2.03 (95% CIs: 0.89, 3.17), mmHg) and heart rate (HR) (2.24 (95% CIs: 0.11, 4.37), beats/min) increased significantly in the fourth quartile of PM2.5 exposure levels compared with the first quartile (all P < 0.01). In addition, long-term exposure to PM2.5 was significantly positively correlated with SBP, DBP and MAP, and the effect was more notable in urban areas than that in rural areas. Moreover, the risk of prehypertension and hypertension incidence increased by 1.17 (95% CIs: 1.03, 1.33) fold with a one-quartile increase in PM2.5 exposure. The long-term effects of annual mean PM2.5 exposure on SBP, DBP and MAP were significant from pregnancy to 7, 3 and 4 years of age, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Long-term exposure to PM2.5 was positively associated with growth curves of hemodynamics indexed from pregnancy to childhood and adolescence, and the effect was more significant in urban areas than in rural areas.

Associations of Serum Uromodulin and Its Genetic Variants With Blood Pressure and Hypertension in Chinese Adults

Background: Uromodulin, also named Tamm Horsfall protein, has been associated with renal function and regulation of sodium homeostasis. We aimed to examine the associations of serum uromodulin levels and its genetic variants with longitudinal blood pressure (BP) changes and hypertension incidence/risk. Methods: A total of 514 participants from the original Baoji Salt-Sensitive Study cohort were genotyped to examine the associations of genetic variations in uromodulin gene with the longitudinal BP changes and the incidence of hypertension over 8 years of follow-up. In addition, 2,210 subjects from the cohort of Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension Study were used to investigate the relationships between serum uromodulin levels and the risk of hypertension. Results: SNPs rs12917707 and rs12708631 in the uromodulin gene were significantly associated with the longitudinal BP changes over 8 years of follow-up. SNP rs12708631 was significantly associated with the incidence of hypertension over 8 years. In addition, gene-based analyses supported the associations of uromodulin gene with the longitudinal BP changes and hypertension incidence in Baoji Salt-Sensitive Study cohort. Furthermore, serum uromodulin levels in the hypertensive subjects were lower than in the normotensive subjects (25.5 ± 1.1 vs. 34.7 ± 0.7 ng/mL). Serum uromodulin levels decreased gradually as BP levels increased (34.6, 33.2, 27.8, and 25.0 ng/mL for subjects with normotension, high-normal, grade 1 hypertension, and grade 2 hypertension, respectively). Serum uromodulin was significantly associated with the lower risk of hypertension [0.978 (0.972-0.984)] in Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension Study cohort. Conclusion: This study shows that uromodulin is associated with blood pressure progression and development of hypertension.

Association of pulsatile stress in childhood with subclinical renal damage in adults: A 30-year prospective cohort study

The pulsatile stress in the microcirculation may contribute to development or progression of chronic kidney disease. However, there is no prospective data confirming whether pulsatile stress in early life affect renal function in middle age. The authors performed a longitudinal analysis of 1738 participants aged 6–15 years at baseline, an ongoing Adolescent Prospective Cohort with a follow‐up of 30 years. The authors evaluated the association between pulsatile stress in childhood and adult subclinical renal damage (SRD), adjusting for related covariates. Pulsatile stress was calculated as resting heart rate × pulse pressure. Renal function was assessed with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin‐to‐creatinine ratio (uACR). The results showed that pulsatile stress in childhood was associated with adult SRD (Relative Risk, 1.43; p = .032), and the predictive value of combined pulse pressure and heart rate for SRD was higher than either of them alone. The high pulsatile stress in childhood increased the risk of adult SRD in males (RR, 1.92; p = .003), but this association was not found in females (RR, 0.91; p = .729). Further, the participants were categorized into four groups on the basis of pulsatile stress status in childhood and adulthood. Male patients with high pulsatile stress during childhood but normal pulsatile stress as adults still had an increased risk of SRD (RR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.18–3.54), while female patients did not (RR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.46–1.99). The study demonstrated that high pulsatile stress in childhood significantly increased the risk of adult SRD, especially in males. Adequate control of pulse pressure and heart rate from childhood, in the long‐term, is very important for preventing kidney damage.

Influence of Blood Pressure Percentile Reporting on the Recognition of Elevated Blood Pressures

OBJECTIVES

To explore the impact of displaying blood pressure (BP) percentiles with BP readings in the electronic health record (EHR) on the recognition of children with elevated blood pressures (EBPs).

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of children (ages 1-17), including inpatients and outpatients, with at least 1 EHR noninvasive BP recording. In phase 1, BP percentiles were calculated, stored, and not displayed to clinicians. In phase 2, percentiles were displayed adjacent to the EHR BP. Encounters with 1 BP ≥95th percentile were classified as elevated. EBP recognition required the presence of at least 1 EBP-related International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision or International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision code. We compared recognition frequencies across phases with logistic regression.

RESULTS

In total, 45 504 patients in 115 060 encounters were included. Inpatient recognition was 4.1% (238 of 5572) in phase 1 and 5.5% (338 of 5839) in phase 2. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) associated with the intervention was 1.22 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.90-1.66). Outpatient recognition rates were 8.0% (1096 of 13 725 EBP encounters) in phase 1 and 9.7% (1442 of 14 811 encounters) in phase 2. The adjusted OR was 1.296 (95% CI: 0.999-1.681). Overall, recognition rates were higher in boys (outpatient OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.15-1.98) and older children (outpatient/inpatient OR: 1.08/1.08; 95% CI: 1.05-1.11/1.05-1.11) and lower for those on a surgical service (outpatient/inpatient: OR: 0.41/0.38; 95% CI: 0.30-0.58/0.27-0.52).

CONCLUSIONS

Addition of BP percentiles to the EHR did not significantly change EBP recognition as measured by the addition of an EBP diagnosis code. Girls, younger children, and patients followed on a surgical service were less likely to have their EBP recognized by providers.

Blood pressure and long-term subclinical cardiovascular outcomes in low-risk young adults: Insights from Hanzhong adolescent hypertension cohort

Stage 1 hypertension, newly defined by the 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) hypertension guideline, has been the subject of significant interest globally. This study aims to assess the impact of the new blood pressure (BP) stratum on subsequent subclinical cardiovascular outcomes in low-risk young adults. This longitudinal study consisted of 1020 young adults (47.7% female; ages 18-23 years) free of cardiovascular disease from the Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension Cohort with up to 25-year follow-up since 1992-1995. Outcomes were available through June 2017. Young adults with stage 1 hypertension accounted for 23.7% of the cohort. When it comes to middle adulthood, subjects with early life stage 1 hypertension were more likely to experience BP progression, and they had a 1.61-fold increased risk of high-risk brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and a 2.92-fold risk of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) comparing with their normotensive counterparts. Among participants without any active treatment in midlife, the risk associated with stage 1 hypertension for BP progression was 2.25 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.41-3.59), high-risk baPWV was 1.58 (95% CI = 1.09-2.79), LVH was 2.75 (95% CI = 1.16-6.48), and subclinical renal damage (SRD) was 1.69 (95% CI = 1.02-2.82) compared with the normal BP group. Overall, young adults with stage 1 hypertension had significantly higher risks for midlife subclinical cardiovascular outcomes than normotensive subjects. BP management targeting low-risk young adults is of importance from both clinical and public health perspectives.

Child-to-adult body mass index trajectories and the risk of subclinical renal damage in middle age

BACKGROUND

Although it is well established that obesity is a risk factor for chronic kidney disease, the impact of distinct long-term body mass index (BMI) developmental patterns on renal function in later life is poorly understood.

METHODS

This study utilized data derived from the Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension Cohort, a prospective cohort followed over 30 years. We used latent class growth mixture modeling method to identify the BMI trajectories of participants who had received BMI measurements at least three times from childhood (age: 6-15 years) to adulthood (age: 36-45 years). The modified Poisson regression model was used to identify potential associations between BMI trajectories and subclinical renal damage (SRD) in midlife.

RESULTS

Within a total of 2162 individuals, we identified four distinct long-term BMI trajectories: stable normal (54.72%), moderately increasing overweight (32.42%), resolving (10.27%), and progressively increasing obese (2.59%). By the latest follow-up in 2017, a total of 257 (13.1%) individuals were diagnosed with SRD. Compared with the stable normal group, the moderately increasing overweight group and the progressively increasing obese group exhibited significantly a higher urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio and a higher odd of existing SRD in 2017 (risk ratio [RR], 1.70 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.33-2.19] and 4.35 [95% CI, 3.00-6.30], respectively). However, individuals who resolved their elevated BMI in early life had a similar risk for SRD as those who had never been obese or overweight (RR, 1.17 [95% CI, 0.77-1.79]).

CONCLUSIONS

Child-to-adult BMI trajectories that worsen or persist at high levels were associated with an increased risk for SRD in midlife. Maintaining a normal BMI or reversing an elevated BMI in early life may be beneficial to renal function over the long term.

Blood Pressure Tracking From Childhood to Adulthood

Hypertension is the most common non-communicable disease among adults and is the most important modifiable risk factor for premature cardiovascular disease. The increasing worldwide burden of hypertension is a major global health issue. Early prevention with lifestyle modification or pharmaceutical treatment reduces the incidence of hypertension and the risk of subsequent cardiovascular disease. Therefore, identification of young persons at risk for hypertension has the obvious benefit of providing a chance for early intervention. Previous studies have demonstrated the positive association of elevated childhood blood pressure with hypertension in adulthood. Accumulated evidence also indicates the possibility that elevated pediatric blood pressure is associated with increased risk of future cardiovascular disease. In this article, we review the tracking of blood pressure from childhood to adulthood and emphasize the importance of pediatric blood pressure monitoring and control for predicting and preventing adult hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Association of Uric Acid in Serum and Urine with Arterial Stiffness: Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension Study

Background

Hyperuricemia has long been associated with increased cardiovascular risk, and arterial stiffness is proposed as a mediator. The present study is aimed at examining the associations of uric acid (UA) in blood and urine with arterial stiffness in a Chinese cohort.

Methods

A total of 2296 participants (mean age: 43.0 years) from our previously established cohort of Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension Study were included. The participants were classified as subjects with or without arterial stiffness, which was defined as brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) ≥ 1400 cm/s and/or carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) ≥ 0.9 mm. Multivariate regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between serum and urinary UA and the risk of arterial stiffness after adjusting for age, gender, systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, BMI, heart rate, total cholesterol, and triglycerides.

Results

baPWV was positively correlated with urinary uric acid/creatinine ratio (uUA/Cre) (β = 0.061, P < 0.001), while CIMT was correlated with uUA/Cre (β = 0.085, P < 0.001) and fractional excretion of uric acid (FEUA) (β = 0.044, P = 0.033) in all subjects. In addition, uUA/Cre was significantly associated with the risk of high baPWV [1.032 (1.019-1.045)] and arterial stiffness [1.028 (1.016-1.040)].

Conclusion

Our study showed that urinary UA excretion was significantly associated with the risk of arterial stiffness in Chinese adults. These findings suggest that UA, especially urinary UA, may be used as a simple, noninvasive marker for early detection of arterial stiffness in otherwise healthy subjects.