Urinary sodium and potassium excretion and risk of hypertension in Chinese: report from a community-based cohort study in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
Dietary sodium intake is associated with blood pressure and hypertension risk. However, most of the studies have been conducted in whites and it is not clear whether the effects exist in Asian populations.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of 24-h urinary sodium excretion and hypertension risk among ethnic Chinese.


METHODS
A prospective cohort design on community.


METHODS
One thousand five hundred and twenty middle-aged and elderly participants who were free from hypertension at baseline and had available urine electrolyte data.


METHODS
Hypertension incidence.


RESULTS
During a median 7.93 years of follow-up (interquartile range = 4.07-9.04 years), we documented 669 cases of incident hypertension. The multivariate risk was 1.26 (95% confidence interval = 1.01-1.57; P = 0.043) for individuals in the highest quartile of urinary sodium excretion as compared with those in the second quartile. A significant J-shape relationship between urinary sodium excretion and the risk of hypertension was observed, with the test for linear relation being rejected (P = 0.046). Participants who were in the highest quartile of urinary sodium excretion and higher baseline blood pressure had a 2.43-fold increased risk of hypertension (95% confidence interval = 1.72-3.22) compared with those in the lowest quartiles of urinary sodium and lower blood pressure.


CONCLUSIONS
Urinary sodium excretion was associated with the risk of hypertension among ethnic Chinese. Urinary sodium excretion, as a marker of dietary sodium intake, can be useful for a comprehensive evaluation of hypertension risk in Asian populations.
Chien
Kuo-Liong
KL
Institute of Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Hsu
Hsiu-Ching
HC
Chen
Pei-Chun
PC
Su
Ta-Chen
TC
Chang
Wei-Tien
WT
Chen
Ming-Fong
MF
Lee
Yuan-Teh
YT
D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006977:Hypertension, Renal / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000652:urine*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
D015415:Biomarkers; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium