title: Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Kenyan Adolescents With α+Thalassemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have discovered that α-globin is expressed in blood vessel walls where it plays a role in regulating vascular tone. We tested the hypothesis that blood pressure (BP) might differ between normal individuals and those with α+thalassemia, in whom the production of α-globin is reduced.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study was conducted in Nairobi, Kenya, among 938 adolescents aged 11 to 17 years. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory BP monitoring and arterial stiffness measurements were performed using an arteriograph device. We genotyped for α+thalassemia by polymerase chain reaction. Complete data for analysis were available for 623 subjects; 223 (36%) were heterozygous (-α/αα) and 47 (8%) were homozygous (-α/-α) for α+thalassemia whereas the remaining 353 (55%) were normal (αα/αα). Mean 24-hour systolic BP ±SD was 118±12 mm Hg in αα/αα, 117±11 mm Hg in -α/αα, and 118±11 mm Hg in -α/-α subjects, respectively. Mean 24-hour diastolic BP ±SD in these groups was 64±8, 63±7, and 65±8 mm Hg, respectively. Mean pulse wave velocity (PWV)±SD was 7±0.8, 7±0.8, and 7±0.7 ms-1, respectively. No differences were observed in PWV and any of the 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring-derived measures between those with and without α+thalassemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that the presence of α+thalassemia does not affect BP and/or arterial stiffness in Kenyan adolescents.
authors.affiliation: KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Program, Kilifi, Kenya aetyang@kemri-wellcome.org.|London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Anthony O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Etyang
authors.affiliation: African Population and Health Research Centre, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Khayeka-Wandabwa
authors.affiliation: KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Program, Kilifi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Sailoki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kapesa
authors.affiliation: KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Program, Kilifi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Muthumbi
authors.affiliation: KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Program, Kilifi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Odipo
authors.affiliation: African Population and Health Research Centre, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Marylene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wamukoya
authors.affiliation: African Population and Health Research Centre, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ngomi
authors.affiliation: African Population and Health Research Centre, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Tilahun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haregu
authors.affiliation: African Population and Health Research Centre, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kyobutungi
authors.affiliation: KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Program, Kilifi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Metrine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tendwa
authors.affiliation: KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Program, Kilifi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Johnstone
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Makale
authors.affiliation: KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Program, Kilifi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Macharia
authors.affiliation: King's College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J Kennedy
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Cruickshank
authors.affiliation: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Liam
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Smeeth
authors.affiliation: KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Program, Kilifi, Kenya.|London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J Anthony G
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Program, Kilifi, Kenya.|Imperial College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Thomas N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*; D017085:alpha-Thalassemia / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: adolescence; ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; α+thalassemia