In normoglycemic Koreans, insulin resistance and adipocity are independently correlated with high blood pressure.
BACKGROUND
There is some controversy about the role of insulin resistance (IR) in the regulation of blood pressure (BP). Moreover, a large study of the association between BP and IR has not been conducted in normal glucose tolerance Asians. The present study investigated the relationships between IR, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference and BP in normoglycemic Koreans.


RESULTS
Anthropometric indices of adiposity, metabolic variables (fasting serum insulin and a homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index of insulin sensitivity), BP and several cardiovascular risk factors were measured during a cross-sectional survey of 49,076 normoglycemic Korean subjects. A high BP was defined as a systolic BP >/=140 mmHg or a diastolic BP >/=90 mmHg. The prevalence of high BP by HOMA grading was 0.985 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.857-1.132, p=0.835), 1.180 (95% CI 1.032-1.350, p=0.016), 1.289 (95% CI 1.129-1.472, p<0.001), and 1.540 (95% CI 1.341-1.768, p<0.001) times higher in subjects in the second, third, fourth, and fifth quintiles, respectively, compared with those in the first quintile. In addition, age, sex, waist circumference and BMI were found to be significantly associated with a high BP.


CONCLUSIONS
IR, BMI and waist circumference are independently correlated with high BP in normoglycemic Koreans.
Sung
Ki Chul
KC
Divisions of Cardiology, Sungkyunkwan University, School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Byung Jin
BJ
Kim
Bum Su
BS
Kang
Jin Ho
JH
Lee
Man Ho
MH
Park
Jung Roe
JR
Rhee
Eun Jung
EJ
Lee
Won Young
WY
Kim
Sun Woo
SW
Kim
Hyang
H
Lee
Kyu Beck
KB
Ryu
Seung Ho
SH
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007723:Korea; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D014280:Triglycerides