Arq. Bras. Cardiol. 2023; 120(7): e20220728

Association between Arterial Hypertension and Laboratory Markers, Body Composition, Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Autonomic Parameters in Obese Patients

Clarcson Plácido Conceição Santos , Laura Souza Lagares, Sarah Rafaela Mascarenhas Santos , Mariana Sousa de Pina Silva , Rodrigo Colares de Macedo, Luiz Alberto Bastos de Almeida, Eric Simas Bomfim

DOI: 10.36660/abc.20220728

This Original Article is referred by the Short Editorial "Obesity-Induced Hypertension".

Abstract

Background

Systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) is a multifactorial disease, highly prevalent and associated with health risks.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between SAH and laboratory, anthropometric, heart rate variability (HRV), and obstructive sleep apnea markers and, secondarily, to analyze the sensitivity and specificity of the variables that are independent factors in the association.

Methods

Cross-sectional study with 95 obese patients treated at an obesity referral clinic in Salvador, BA, Brazil. SAH data were obtained from electronic medical records. The sample was stratified in the Normotensive Group (NG) and the Hypertensive Group (HG), and laboratory markers, body composition, polysomnography, and HRV were measured to evaluate the association of SAH with the predictor variables. For the analysis, p<0.05 was adopted.

Results

The average age of the NG was 36.3 ± 10.1 and HG 40.4 ± 10.6 years; 73.7% were women in the NG and 57.9% in HG; 82.4% in HG had insulin resistance. In the multivarious logistics regression model with adjustments in age, sex, height, and oxyhemoglobin saturation, SAH was inversely associated with fasting plasma glucose mg/dL (odds ratio [OR] = 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.92-0.99) and visceral fat area (VFA) cm²(OR = 0.98; 95% CI = 0.97-0.99). The area under the VFA curve was 0.728; CI 95% (0.620-0.836); fasting plasma glucose 0.693;CI 95% (0.582-0.804).

Conclusions

Lower VFA and fasting plasma glucose concentrations were inversely associated with SAH. In addition, fasting plasma glucose and VFA showed a high sensitivity for SAH screening.