INTERACTION BETWEEN LDL-CHOLESTEROLEMIA, SERUM URIC LEVEL AND INCIDENT HYPERTENSION: DATA FROM THE BRISIGHELLA HEART STUDY

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the short-term interaction between SUA, LDL-C and incident hypertension in a sample of overall healthy subjects. Design and method: We selected from the general database of the Brisighella Heart Study four groups of age- and sex-matched non-hypertensive subjects with different levels of LDL-C and SUA level and examined during the 2008 population survey. Incident hypertension was defined as the increase of systolic blood pressure values over 140 mmHg and/or of diastolic blood pressure over 90 mmHg and or the beginning of an antihypertensive treatment. The timing of hypertension diagnosis was estimated on the basis of what reported by the patient, the data reported on the general physicians electronic clinical forms and of the beginning of the pharmacological treatment reported by the local pharmacy registries. Results: In a model adjusted for age, sex and baseline blood pressure Hazard Rations (HRs) for hypertension development compared to subjects with baseline normal LDL-C and SUA levels were 1.86 (95%CI 0.88–1.58, p = 0.243) for subjects with isolated high LDL-C level, 1.53 (95%CI 0.92–2.49, p = 0.061) for subjects with isolated high SUA level, and 1.61 (95%CI 1.18–2.11, p = 0.009). In a model further adjusted for family history of hypertension, smoking status, Body Mass Index and physical activity intensity, HRs for hypertension development compared to subjects with baseline normal LDL-C and SUA levels were 1.14 (95%CI 0.87–1.55, p = 0.249) for subjects with isolated high LDL-C level, 1.55 (95%CI 0.96–2.48, p = 0.059) for subjects with isolated high SUA level, and 1.57 (95%CI 1.20–2.15, p = 0.015). Conclusions: In conclusion, in an overall healthy population sample, the contemporary presence of suboptimal LDL-C and SUA values are associated to an increased risk to develop hypertension.