Association of systolic blood pressure levels with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events and all-cause mortality: a result from the Kailuan study

Similarities in Hypertension Status but Differences in Mortality Risk: A Comparison of 2017 ACC/AHA and 2018 Chinese Hypertension Guidelines

Background

Few studies investigated the concordance in hypertension status and antihypertensive treatment recommendations between the 2018 Chinese Hypertension League (CHL) guidelines and the 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines and assessed the change of premature mortality risk with hypertension defined by the ACC/AHA guidelines.

Methods

We used the baseline data of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) to estimate the population impact on hypertension management between CHL and ACC/AHA guidelines. Mortality risk from hypertension was estimated using the data from China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals(CIs).

Results

Among 13,704 participants analyzed from the nationally representative data of CHARLS, 42.64% (95% CI: 40.35, 44.96) of Chinese adults were diagnosed by both CHL and ACC/AHA guidelines. 41.25% (39.17, 43.36) did not have hypertension according to either guideline. Overall, the concordance in hypertension status was 83.89% (81.69, 85.57). A high percentage of agreement was also found for recommendation to initiate treatment among untreated subjects (87.62% [86.67, 88.51]) and blood pressure (BP) above the goal among treated subjects (71.68% [68.16, 74.95]). Among 23,063 adults from CHNS, subjects with hypertension by CHL had a higher risk of premature mortality (1.75 [1.50, 2.04]) compared with those without hypertension. The association diminished for hypertension by ACC/AHA (1.46 [1.07, 1.30]). Moreover, the excess risk was not significant for the newly defined Grade 1 hypertension by ACC/AHA (1.15 [0.95, 1.38]) when compared with BP <120/80 mmHg. This contrasted with the estimate from CHL (1.54 [1.25, 1.89]). The same pattern was observed for total mortality.

Conclusions

If ACC/AHA guidelines were adopted, a high degree of concordance in hypertension status and initiation of antihypertensive treatment was found with CHL guidelines. However, the mortality risk with hypertension was reduced with a non-significant risk for Grade 1 hypertension defined by the ACC/AHA.

Risk of fatal and nonfatal coronary heart disease and stroke events among adult patients with hypertension: basic Markov model inputs for evaluating cost-effectiveness of hypertension treatment: systematic review of cohort studies

Objectives

Hypertension is a risk factor for a number of vascular and cardiac complications. A Markov like simulation based on cardiovascular disease (CVD) policy model is being used for evaluating cost-effectiveness of hypertension treatment. Stroke, angina, myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac arrest and all-cause mortality were only included CVD outcome variables in the model. Therefore this systematic review was conducted to evaluate completeness of CVD policy model for evaluation of cost-effectiveness across different regions.

Key findings

Fourteen cohort studies involving a total of 1 674 773 hypertensive adult population and 499 226 adults with treatment resistant hypertension were included in this systematic review. Hypertension is clearly associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke mortality, unstable angina, stable angina, MI, heart failure (HF), sudden cardiac death, transient ischemic attack, ischemic stroke, sub-arachnoid hemorrhage, intracranial hemorrhage, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and abdominal aortic aneurism (AAA). Lifetime risk of developing HF is higher among hypertensives across all ages, with slight variation among regions. Treatment resistant hypertension is associated with higher relative risk of developing major CVD events and mortality when compared with the non-resistant hypertension.

Summary

The CVD policy model can be used in most of the regions for evaluation of cost-effectiveness of hypertension treatment. However, hypertension is highly associated with HF in Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, it is important to consider HF in CVD policy model for evaluating cost-effectiveness of hypertension treatment in these regions. We do not suggest the inclusion of PAD and AAA in CVD policy model for evaluating cost-effectiveness of hypertension treatment due to lack of sufficient evidence. Researchers should consider the effect of treatment resistant hypertension either through including in the basic model or during setting the model assumptions.

PolyvasculaR Evaluation for Cognitive Impairment and vaScular Events (PRECISE)-a population-based prospective cohort study: rationale, design and baseline participant characteristics

Background and purpose

Cardiovascular diseases and dementia are two major diseases in the elderly. Atherosclerosis is associated with future vascular events and cognitive impairment. The PolyvasculaR Evaluation for Cognitive Impairment and vaScular Events (PRECISE) study is a population-based prospective cohort study with comprehensive evaluation of multiterritorial artery stenosis and plaque using advanced vascular imaging techniques and prospective collection of vascular events and cognitive assessments.

Methods

Between May 2017 and September 2019, the PRECISE study enrolled 3067 community-dwelling adults with ages between 50 and 75 years cluster sampled from six villages and four communities of Lishui city in China. Data are collected in face-to-face interviews at baseline, 2-year and 4-year follow-up visits. Brain MRI including high-resolution sequences for intracranial and carotidal arteries and CT angiography for thoracoabdominal arteries were performed at baseline and will be rescanned after 4 years. Cardiovascular/cerebrovascular events and cognitive assessment will be prospectively collected after the enrollment. Blood and urine samples were collected and biomarkers were tested at baseline.

Results

A total of 3067 subjects were enrolled, among which 53.5% were female with an average age of 61.2±6.7 years. Among them, 2.8%, 8.1%, 43.1% and 21.6% had a history of stroke, coronary heart diseases, hypertension and diabetes mellitus, respectively.

Conclusions

The PRECISE study is a population-based prospective cohort study with comprehensive evaluation of atherosclerotic stenosis and plaque using advanced vascular imaging techniques. Data from this cohort provide us an opportunity to precisely evaluate polyvascular atherosclerosis and its association with future vascular events and cognitive impairment.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT03178448).

Sex-Specific Association of Blood Pressure Categories With All-Cause Mortality: The Rural Chinese Cohort Study

Introduction

The relationship between blood pressure categories and all-cause mortality has not been fully addressed in cohort studies, especially in the general Chinese population. Our study aimed to assess the sex-specific association of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and 2017 United States hypertension guidelines with all-cause mortality in China.

Methods

We conducted a prospective study of 13,760 rural Chinese adults aged 18 or older (41.1% men). Mean age overall was 49.4, 51.0 for men, and 48.3 for women. We analyzed the blood pressure–mortality relationship by using restricted cubic splines and Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis, estimating hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

During a mean follow-up of 5.95 years, 710 people died (60.3% men) from any cause. We found a U-shaped SBP–mortality or DBP–mortality relationship for both sexes. Mortality risk was increased for men with SBP 120–139 mm Hg (adjusted HR [aHR], 1.42; 95% CI, 1.10–1.82) or ≥140 mm Hg (aHR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.54–2.72), and for DBP ≥90 mm Hg (aHR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.10–2.13) as compared with SBP 100–119 mm Hg or DBP 70–79 mm Hg. Mortality risk also was increased for men with blood pressure status defined according to 2017 US hypertension guidelines as elevated, SBP 120–129 and DBP >80 mm Hg (aHR 1.48; 95% CI,1.11–1.98); stage 1 hypertension, SBP/DBP 130–139/80–89 mm Hg (aHR 1.53; CI, 1.19–1.97); and stage 2 hypertension, SBP/DBP ≥140/90 mm Hg (aHR 1.83; CI, 1.33–2.51). No significant relationship was observed for women.

Conclusion

Elevated blood pressure and stages 1 and 2 hypertension were positively associated with all-cause mortality for men but not women in rural China.

Effect of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity combined with blood pressure on cardio-cerebrovascular events

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) combined with blood pressure (BP) on cardio-cerebrovascular events. Participants who received health examinations during the periods 2010-2011, 2012-2013 and 2014-2015 were recruited. The participants were divided into four groups according to their BP and baPWV levels as follows: Normotension + low baPWV, normotension + high baPWV, hypertension + low baPWV, and hypertension + high baPWV. The cumulative incidence of cardio-cerebrovascular events was calculated using life-table analysis, and the associations of BP and baPWV with cardio-cerebrovascular events were analyzed using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to calculate the predictive values of baPWV combined with BP, baPWV alone or BP alone for cardio-cerebrovascular events by comparing their area under the curve (AUC) using the normal approximation method. There were 20,310 participants with a mean age of 50.13±0.09 years in the present study, including 13,240 males. A total of 278 participants developed a cardio-cerebrovascular event after a mean follow-up period of 3.34±1.82 years. The cumulative incidence of cardio-cerebrovascular events in the normotension + low baPWV, normotension + high baPWV, hypertension + low baPWV and hypertension + high baPWV groups was 0.2, 0.9, 0.8 and 3.1%. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that compared with the normotension + low baPWV group, the risks of cardio-cerebrovascular events in the normotension + high baPWV, hypertension + low baPWV and hypertension + high baPWV groups were increased after adjusting for confounding factors, and their hazard ratios (95% CI) were 4.18 (2.23-7.83), 3.00 (1.39-6.47) and 9.34 (5.14-16.96), respectively. The AUC values for the predictive values of baPWV combined with BP, baPWV alone and BP alone on cardio-cerebrovascular events were calculated to be 0.744, 0.677 and 0.698, respectively. In conclusion, high baPWV accompanied by hypertension could increase the risk of cardio-cerebrovascular events. The predictive value of baPWV combined with BP on cardio-cerebrovascular events is superior compared with that of either baPWV or BP alone.

Association of systolic blood pressure with cardiovascular outcomes in elderly patients with hypertension in Northern China

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of systolic blood pressure (SBP) with cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality among elderly hypertensive patients in northern China.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

In this prospective cohort study, 9655 elderly hypertensive patients from Kailuan study were followed up with the incidence of primary outcomes (composite outcomes including myocardial infarction, stroke, and all-cause death) and the incidence of secondary outcomes (stroke, myocardial infarction, and all-cause death). Patients were categorized into five groups on the basis of SBP levels: Q1 (SBP<130 mmHg), Q2 (130≤SBP<140 mmHg), Q3 (140≤SBP<150 mmHg), Q4 (150≤SBP<160 mmHg), and Q5 (SBP≥160 mmHg).

RESULTS

During an average of 7.2±1.6 years of follow-up, patients in the group Q2 had the lowest incidence rates of composite outcomes. Q1 was not associated with a decreased risk of composite outcomes. Interestingly, compared with reference group Q2, the risk of composite outcomes [hazard ratio (HR): 1.36; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06-1.75] was significantly increased in the Q3 subgroup with high risk+very high risk for the incidence of ischemic cardiovascular disease (ICVD). Similarly, the risk of composite outcomes (HR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.01-1.53 and HR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.04-1.75) was significantly increased in Q4 subgroups, with both intermediate risk and high risk+very high risk for 10-year ICVD.

CONCLUSION

Elderly hypertensive patients with a high risk of 10-year ICVD were still at a higher risk of developing adverse outcomes even with 140≤SBP<150 mmHg. SBP of less than 130 mmHg was not associated significantly with a reduced risk of developing adverse outcomes.

Risk of stroke and coronary heart disease among various levels of blood pressure in diabetic and nondiabetic Chinese patients

OBJECTIVE

To compare the risk of stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD) among various blood pressure (BP) levels in diabetic and people without diabetes Chinese patients.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was part of Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology China study. Patients aged 35 to70 years were recruited from 12 provinces of China between 2005 and 2009. The participants were classified into three groups: hypertension (HTN), high normal BP, and normal BP, and also into SBP and DBP quintiles.

RESULTS

A total of 42 959 patients were analyzed with 38 975 (90.7% of total population) people without diabetes and 3984 (9.3% of total population) diabetic patients. Among diabetic patients, the HTN group was associated with an increased risk of stroke (odds ratio, 3.03; 95% confidence interval, 1.47-6.25) and CHD (odds ratio, 2.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.45-3.38), when compared with normal BP group. Similar results were drawn in nondiabetic patients. However, no significant difference in risk of stroke or CHD was found between high normal BP and normal BP groups in either diabetic or nondiabetic patients. Risk of CHD and stroke increased significantly when SBP was above 125 mmHg or DBP above 72 mmHg in people without diabetes, whereas this trend was attenuated in diabetic patients.

CONCLUSION

HTN was associated with a two-fold increased risk of CHD and a three-fold increased risk of stroke compared with normotension irrespective of diabetes status. For diabetic patients with HTN, a more comprehensive method is essential for assessing cardiovascular risk.