Influence of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension-Type Diet, Known Genetic Variants and Their Interplay on Blood Pressure in Early Childhood

Interplay of the Mediterranean diet and genetic hypertension risk on blood pressure in European adolescents: Findings from the HELENA study

Early-life onset of high blood pressure is associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. In adolescents, limited evidence exists regarding the association between adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) and normal blood pressure (BP) levels, as well as its potential to modulate genetic predisposition to HTN. This study investigated the interaction between a MedDiet score and a recently developed HTN-genetic risk score (HTN-GRS) on blood pressure levels in a European adolescent cohort. The MedDiet score was derived from two non-consecutive 24-h dietary recalls and ranged from 0 (indicating low adherence) to 9 (indicating high adherence). Multiple linear regression models, adjusted for covariates, were employed to examine the relationship between the MedDiet score and BP z-scores and to assess the interaction effects between the MedDiet score and HTN-GRS on BP z-scores. MedDiet score showed a negative association with z-systolic BP (SBP) (ß = -0.40, p < 0.001) and z-diastolic BP (DBP) (ß = -0.29, p = 0.001). Additionally, a significant interaction effect was identified between the MedDiet score and HTN-GRS on z-SBP (ß = 0.02, p < 0.001) and z-DBP (ß = 0.02, p < 0.001). The modulatory effect of the MedDiet was more pronounced in females than in males, and HTN-GRS exhibited a stronger influence on DBP than on SBP.   Conclusion: The study suggests that higher adherence to the MedDiet is associated with reduced BP levels in adolescents and provides evidence of a genetic-diet interaction influencing BP in adolescents. What is Known: • Adherence to the Mediterranean diet may reduce BP levels. What is New: • It is the first study to assess the connection between adherence to a Mediterranean diet, a hypertension genetic risk score, and how they interact in influencing blood pressure. • It is conducted within a multicenter cohort of European adolescents.

LSS rs2254524 Increases the Risk of Hypertension in Children and Adolescents with Obesity

Childhood obesity and its related comorbidities have become major health issues over the last century. Among these comorbidities, cardiovascular diseases, especially hypertension, are the most significant. Recently, a polymorphism affecting the activity of lanosterol synthase has been associated with an increased risk of hypertension in adolescents. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of LSS rs2254524 polymorphism on blood pressure in children and adolescents with obesity. We enrolled 828 obese children aged 6-17 years. Subjects carrying the A allele showed higher rates of systolic and diastolic stage I hypertension and stage II hypertension. Carriers of the A allele showed a 2.4-fold (95% C.I. 1.5-4.7, p = 0.01) higher risk for stage II hypertension and a 1.9-fold higher risk for stage I hypertension (95% C.I. 1.4-2.6, p < 0.0001). The risk was independent of confounding factors. In conclusion, LSS rs2254524 worsens the cardiovascular health of children and adolescents with obesity, increasing their blood pressure.

High blood pressure in children and adolescents: current perspectives and strategies to improve future kidney and cardiovascular health

Hypertension is one of the most common causes of preventable death worldwide. The prevalence of pediatric hypertension has increased significantly in recent decades. The cause of this is likely multifactorial, related to increasing childhood obesity, high dietary sodium intake, sedentary lifestyles, perinatal factors, familial aggregation, socioeconomic factors, and ethnic blood pressure (BP) differences. Pediatric hypertension represents a major public health threat. Uncontrolled pediatric hypertension is associated with subclinical cardiovascular disease and adult-onset hypertension. In children with chronic kidney disease (CKD), hypertension is also a strong risk factor for progression to kidney failure. Despite these risks, current rates of pediatric BP screening, hypertension detection, treatment, and control remain suboptimal. Contributing to these shortcomings are the challenges of accurately measuring pediatric BP, limited access to validated pediatric equipment and hypertension specialists, complex interpretation of pediatric BP measurements, problematic normative BP data, and conflicting society guidelines for pediatric hypertension. To date, limited pediatric hypertension research has been conducted to help address these challenges. However, there are several promising signs in the field of pediatric hypertension. There is greater attention being drawn on the cardiovascular risks of pediatric hypertension, more emphasis on the need for childhood BP screening and management, new public health initiatives being implemented, and increasing research interest and funding. This article summarizes what is currently known about pediatric hypertension, the existing knowledge-practice gaps, and ongoing research aimed at improving future kidney and cardiovascular health.

Psychosocial and peripartum determinants of postpartum depression: Findings from a prospective population-based cohort. The ABCD study

BACKGROUND

Postpartum depression is prevalent and concerns a serious health problem for women and their families. The current large-scale birth cohort study investigated: (1) the associations of various potential determinants of postpartum depression using a multidimensional approach, and (2) the individual contribution of obstetric and perinatal determinants and pregnancy-specific anxiety to the risk of postpartum depression.

METHODS

This study was based on a large-scale birth cohort study in Amsterdam, the Netherlands (ABCD-study). In 5109 women depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (cut-off ≥16 indicating high risk of postpartum depression). Determinants were assessed using self-report or perinatal registries.

RESULTS

In the final multivariable model, other-Western and non-Western ethnic background, increased antepartum depressive symptoms, increased antepartum anxiety, increased pregnancy-specific anxiety, being unemployed, poor sleep quality, unwanted pregnancy, abuse, multiparity, and congenital abnormality were all independently related to an increased risk of postpartum depression. The strongest risk factors for postpartum depression were antepartum depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.02-4.92), having a baby with a congenital abnormality (AOR = 2.33, 95% CI 1.46-3.73), and abuse (AOR = 1.95, 95% CI 1.02-3.73). The final model accounted for 24.5% of the variance.

LIMITATIONS

Our dataset did not provide information on social support or maternal and family history of depression. Next to these determinants, future research should include biological factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The determinants identified provide opportunities for the development of multidimensional early screening and early intervention strategies for women with an increased risk of postpartum depression.

Blood Pressure in Childhood and Adolescence

Elevated blood pressure (BP) and hypertension commonly occur in children and adolescents and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent research in pediatric hypertension including changes in defining hypertension, BP measurement techniques, hypertension epidemiology, risk factors, treatment, and BP-related target organ damage. Defining pediatric hypertension using the 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics' updated Clinical Practice Guideline resulted in a larger proportion of children being classified as having elevated BP or hypertension compared with prior guidelines. Trends in the distribution of BP among US children and adolescents suggest that BP levels and the prevalence of hypertension may have increased from 2011-2014 to 2015-2018. Factors including a family history of hypertension, obesity, minority race/ethnicity, physical inactivity, high dietary intake of sodium, and poor sleep quality are associated with an increased prevalence of elevated BP and hypertension. Evidence of a linear relationship between systolic BP and target organ damage indicates that BP levels currently considered normal could increase the risk of target organ damage in childhood. Lifestyle changes, such as adhering to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet, are a central component of effectively reducing BP and have been shown to reduce target organ damage. Pharmacologic treatment using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers is an effective and safe method for reducing BP among children with uncontrolled BP after implementing lifestyle changes. Research gaps in the prevention, detection, classification, and treatment of hypertension in children demonstrate opportunities for future study.

Blood Pressure Tracking From Childhood to Adulthood

Hypertension is the most common non-communicable disease among adults and is the most important modifiable risk factor for premature cardiovascular disease. The increasing worldwide burden of hypertension is a major global health issue. Early prevention with lifestyle modification or pharmaceutical treatment reduces the incidence of hypertension and the risk of subsequent cardiovascular disease. Therefore, identification of young persons at risk for hypertension has the obvious benefit of providing a chance for early intervention. Previous studies have demonstrated the positive association of elevated childhood blood pressure with hypertension in adulthood. Accumulated evidence also indicates the possibility that elevated pediatric blood pressure is associated with increased risk of future cardiovascular disease. In this article, we review the tracking of blood pressure from childhood to adulthood and emphasize the importance of pediatric blood pressure monitoring and control for predicting and preventing adult hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Factors Associated with Primary Hypertension in Pediatric Patients: An Up-to-Date

BACKGROUND

Arterial hypertension in children is considered a common alteration nowadays, mainly because obesity is a growing worldwide problem closely related to increased blood pressure. Childhood hypertension can be classified as primary or secondary, depending on the etiology. Primary or essential hypertension still has its pathophysiology not fully elucidated, and there is no consensus in the literature on most underlying mechanisms. In this review, genetic and environmental factors, including sodium and potassium intake, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, family structure, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, prematurity and low birth weight, prenatal and postnatal exposures are highlighted.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to perform an update on primary hypertension in childhood, providing clinicians and researchers an overview of the current state of the literature regarding the influence of genetic and environmental factors.

METHODS

This integrative review searched for articles on genetic and environmental factors related to primary hypertension in pediatric patients. The databases evaluated were PubMed and Scopus.

RESULTS

The studies have provided insights regarding many genetic and environmental factors, in addition to their association with the pathophysiology of primary hypertension in childhood. Findings corroborated the idea that primary hypertension is a multifactorial disease. Further studies in the pediatric population are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

CONCLUSION

The study of primary hypertension in pediatrics has utmost importance for the adoption of preventive measures and the development of more efficient treatments, therefore reducing childhood morbidity and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases and other health consequences later in life.

Clinical Evaluation of the Polygenetic Background of Blood Pressure in the Population-Based Setting

The clinical value of the polygenetic component of blood pressure (BP) is commonly questioned. We evaluated a genetic risk score for BP (BP-GRS₈₅₈), based on the most recently published genome-wide association studies variants that were significantly associated with either systolic BP or diastolic BP, for prediction of hypertension and cardiovascular end points. The genotyping was performed in 2 urban-based prospective cohorts: the Malmö Diet and Cancer (n=29 295) and the Malmö Preventive Project (n=9367) and a weighted BP-GRS₈₅₈ based on 858 SNPs was calculated. At baseline, we found a difference of 9.0 mm Hg (systolic BP) and 4.8 mm Hg (diastolic BP) between the top and the bottom quartile of BP-GRS₈₅₈. In Malmö Preventive Project, the top versus bottom quartile of BP-GRS₈₅₈ was associated with a doubled risk of incident hypertension (odds ratio, 2.05 [95% CI, 1.75-2.39], P=1.4×10^-21), a risk higher than that of body mass index, as evaluated in quartiles. In Malmö Diet and Cancer, significant association was found between the age and sex-adjusted BP-GRS₈₅₈ and the incidence of total cardiovascular events, stroke, coronary artery disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and total mortality. Most of these associations remained significant after adjusting for traditional risk factors, including hypertension. BP-GRS₈₅₈ could contribute predictive information regarding future hypertension, with an effect size comparable to other well-known risk factors such as obesity, and predicts cardiovascular events. Given that the exposure to high polygenetic risk starts at birth, we suggest that the BP-GRS₈₅₈ might be useful to identify children or adolescents who would benefit from early hypertension screening and treatment.

Vegetable dietary pattern may protect mild and persistent allergic rhinitis phenotype depending on genetic risk in school children

BACKGROUND

The effect of diet on allergic rhinitis (AR), its severity in children, and whether it modifies AR depending on genetic susceptibility are unknown. We investigated the association between dietary patterns and AR in school children and the influence of diet on AR according to a genetic risk score (GRS).

METHODS

Totally, 435 7-year-old school children were recruited from the Panel Study on Korean Children. We used dietary patterns (vegetable, sugar, and meat) and dietary inflammatory index (DII) as dietary parameters. AR and its severity were defined by questionnaires about treatment in the previous 12 months and the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guideline, respectively. A GRS was calculated using 6 single nucleotide polymorphisms for allergic diseases.

RESULTS

A vegetable diet containing a lot of anti-inflammatory nutrients and higher vitamin D level in blood were negatively correlated, while DII was positively correlated with triglyceride level and triglyceride/HDL cholesterol. Vegetable diet (aOR, 95% CI = 0.73, 0.58-0.94) and DII (1.13, 1.01-1.28) were associated with AR risk. In particular, a high-vegetable diet resulted in a lower risk of mild and persistent AR (aOR, 95% CI = 0.24, 0.10-0.56) while a high DII represented a higher risk (2.33, 1.06-5.10). The protective effect of vegetable diet on AR appeared only among children with a lower GRS (adjusted P = .018).

CONCLUSIONS

A vegetable dietary pattern characterized by high intake of anti-inflammatory nutrients and higher vitamin D level in blood might be associated with a lower risk of mild and persistent AR. This beneficial effect is modified by a genetic factor.

Impact of Multiple Social Determinants of Health on Incident Stroke

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Social determinants of health (SDOH) have been previously associated with incident stroke. Although SDOH often cluster within individuals, few studies have examined associations between incident stroke and multiple SDOH within the same individual. The objective was to determine the individual and cumulative effects of SDOH on incident stroke.

METHODS

This study included 27 813 participants from the REGARDS (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) Study, a national, representative, prospective cohort of black and white adults aged ≥45 years. SDOH was the primary exposure. The main outcome was expert adjudicated incident stroke. Cox proportional hazards models examined associations between incident stroke and SDOH, individually and as a count of SDOH, adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS

The mean age was 64.7 years (SD 9.4) at baseline; 55.4% were women and 40.4% were blacks. Over a median follow-up of 9.5 years (IQR, 6.0-11.5), we observed 1470 incident stroke events. Of 10 candidate SDOH, 7 were associated with stroke (P<0.10): race, education, income, zip code poverty, health insurance, social isolation, and residence in one of the 10 lowest ranked states for public health infrastructure. A significant age interaction resulted in stratification at 75 years. In fully adjusted models, among individuals <75 years, risk of stroke rose as the number of SDOH increased (hazard ratio for one SDOH, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.02-1.55]; 2 SDOH hazard ratio, 1.38 [95% CI, 1.12-1.71]; and ≥3 SDOH hazard ratio, 1.51 [95% CI, 1.21-1.89]) compared with those without any SDOH. Among those ≥75 years, none of the observed effects reached statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Incremental increases in the number of SDOH were independently associated with higher incident stroke risk in adults aged <75 years, with no statistically significant effects observed in individuals ≥75 years. Targeting individuals with multiple SDOH may help reduce risk of stroke among vulnerable populations.