Association of blood pressure with development of metabolic syndrome components: a five-year Retrospective Cohort study in Beijing

Abstract

Background: Raised blood pressure (BP) is associated with the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). It is unknown if subjects with different BP levels may develop certain components of MetS over time. We investigated the incidence of MetS relative to different levels of BP over a 5-year period in a Chinese population in Tongren Hospital, Beijing.

Methods: During the period of 2006-2011, we recruited 2,781 participants with no MetS, or self-reported type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, or cardiovascular disease at baseline. Association rule was used to identify the transitions of MetS components over time.

Results: The incidence of MetS at follow-up was 9.74% for men and 3.21% for women in the group with optimal BP; 10.29% and 7.22%, respectively, in the group with normal BP; 10.49% and 10.84%, respectively, in the group with high-normal BP; and 14.48% and 23.21%, respectively in the group with high BP. The most common transition was from healthy to healthy in the groups with optimal or normal BP (17.9-49.3%), whereas in the high-normal BP group, 16.9-22.1% of subjects with raised BP returned to healthy status or stayed unchanged, while 13.8-21.4% of people with high BP tended to develop raised fasting glucose levels.

Conclusions: The incidence of MetS increased in parallel with the increase in BP. People with optimal and normal BP levels were less susceptible to developing MetS over time, whereas abnormal BP seemed to be a pre-existing phase of MetS. High-normal BP was a crucial status for MetS prevention.

Figure 1

The accumulated incidence of MetS in subjects aged 18–49, stratified by gender and blood pressure level. ^*Compared with optimal BP group of same gender using χ² test, P < 0.001. ^#Compared with male counterpart using χ² test, P < 0.001.

Figure 2

The accumulated incidence of MetS in subjects aged ≥50, stratified by gender and blood pressure level. ^*Compared with optimal BP group of same gender using χ² test, P < 0.001. ^#Compared with male counterpart using χ² test, P < 0.001.

Figure 3

The support and confidence rate of the top five transitions in female subjects from 2006/2007 to 2010/2011 in different blood pressure groups. The support and confidence rate of the top five transitions in male subjects from 2006/2007 to 2010/2011 in different blood pressure groups. (A) in optimal BP group; (B) in normal BP group; (C) in normal-high BP group; (D) in high BP group. Abbreviations: H, health, with the absence of any MetS components; P, high blood pressure; G, high fasting plasma glucose; I, elevated body mass index; T, raised triglycerides level.

Figure 4

The support and confidence rate of the top five transitions in male subjects from 2006/2007 to 2010/2011 in different blood pressure groups. The support and confidence rate of the top five transitions in female subjects from 2006/2007 to 2010/2011 in different blood pressure groups. (A) in optimal BP group; (B) in normal BP group; (C) in normal-high BP group; (D) in high BP group. Abbreviations: H, health, with the absence of any MetS components; P, high blood pressure; G, high fasting plasma glucose; I, elevated body mass index; T, raised triglycerides level.