Relationship between changes in neck circumference and changes in blood pressure.
OBJECTIVE
Neck circumference (NC), as an upper body obesity index, is a simple screening measure for identifying overweight and obese patients. This study examines a relationship between changes in systolic blood pressure (BP), and diastolic BP and changes in NC, and other components of the metabolic syndrome.


METHODS
In a longitudinal cohort study the study group was comprised of 364 subjects (155 men and 209 women) with no known major medical conditions who were not receiving any medication therapy. Main indicators studied included systolic BP, diastolic BP, NC, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), lipoprotein, glucose, and uric acid levels.


RESULTS
Pearson's correlation coefficients indicated a significant association between changes in systolic BP and changes in NC (men, r = 0.54; women, r = 0.56; each, P <.0001), WC men, r = 0.51; women, r = 0.56; each, P <.0001), triglycerides (men, r = 0.41; women, r = 0.44; each, P <.0001), and glucose (men, r = 0.43, P <.001; women, r = 0.48, P <.0001); between changes in diastolic BP and changes in NC (men, r = 0.56; women, r = 0.68; each, P <.0001), WC (men, r = 0.62; women, r = 0.50; each, P <.0001), triglycerides (men, women; each, r = 0.39, P <.0001), and glucose (men, r = 0.45; women, r = 0.49; each, P <.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in systolic BP and diastolic BP correlated positively with changes in NC and other components of the metabolic syndrome.
Ben-Noun
Liubov Louba
LL
Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Soroka Hospital Medical Center, POB 572, Beer-Sheva, Kiryat-Gat 82104, Israel. l-bennun@zahav.net.il
Laor
Arie
A
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001824:Body Constitution; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D014527:Uric Acid