Older age, obesity, T2D linked to hypertension-mediated organ damage

Factors including older age, obesity, and type 2 diabetes (T2D) characterize individuals with subclinical hypertension-mediated organ damage (HMOD) in The Maastricht Study.

Researchers analysed the Sokolow–Lyon (SL) index in 6,487 participants of The Maastricht Study (50.9 percent men, 23.7 percent had T2D) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) in 6,239 individuals (51.3 percent, 23.5 percent had T2D).

Participants with disproportional SL index and PWV were defined using the residuals of linear regression models for the relationship between SL index or PWV and 24-h mean arterial pressure (MAP), respectively. Those with higher-than-expected (>90th percentile of the residuals) and lower-than-expected (<10th percentile) of SL index or PWV were characterized as having HMOD.

Finally, the research team identified the clinical characteristics associated with subclinical HMOD through a multinomial regression analysis.

Participants with higher SL index than expected based on the 24-h MAP appeared to be older, have a higher BMI, and were more likely to have T2D than those in the as-expected and lower-than-expected groups. Likewise, men with T2D were 34-percent less likely to have lower-than-expected SL index, while women with prediabetes or T2D were 40-percent more likely to have higher-than-expected SL index.

Furthermore, men and women with higher-than-expected PWV were older and more likely to have T2D than those in the as-expected and lower-than-expected groups.

“Treating those with overweight and obesity with prediabetes and diabetes more aggressively will likely reduce subclinical HMOD,” the researchers said.