Undernutrition and oxidative stress as risk factors for high blood pressure in older Mexican adults.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between undernutrition and oxidative stress as risk factors for high blood pressure (HBP) in older Mexican adults. We carried out a case-control study in a convenience sample of 62 older adults, 60-80 years of age; 32 without HBP (mean age 75.8 +/- 5.1 years) and 30 with HBP (mean age 65.2 +/- 6.8 years).


METHODS
We measured serum lipoperoxide (LPO) levels, antioxidant enzymes, total antioxidant activity and lipid profile; in addition, we evaluated the nutritional status with anthropometric measurements, the Mini Nutritional Assessment and food intake frequency. Data were analyzed with Student t and odds ratio (OR) statistical tests.


RESULTS
We observed significantly higher LPO levels in subjects with HBP than in normotensive subjects (0.303 +/- 0.10 vs. 0.256 +/- 0.06 micromol/l; p < 0.05). With respect to risk factors for HBP, we found an OR of 12.2 (95% CI 1.9-76.4, p < 0.01) in subjects with high LPO levels (> or = 0.320 micromol/l) and an OR of 5.0 (95% CI 1.1-23.0, p < 0.05) in those with undernutrition.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that high LPO levels and undernutrition are significant risk factors for HBP.
Mendoza-Núñez
Víctor Manuel
VM
Unidad de Investigación en Gerontología, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), México, México. mendovic@servidor.unam.mx
Sánchez-Rodríguez
Martha A
MA
Correa-Muñoz
Elsa
E
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D000886:Anthropometry; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000097:blood*; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012307:Risk Factors
D000975:Antioxidants; D008055:Lipids