TY - JOUR

T1 - Blood pressure in Afghan male immigrants to Denmark

AU - Asmar, Ali

AU - Bülow, Jens

AU - Simonsen, Lene

AU - Christensen, Niels J

AU - Frandsen, Erik

AU - Norsk, Peter

N1 - © 2013 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2013/11

Y1 - 2013/11

N2 - PURPOSE: Immigration from a Third-World society to a Western society can be associated with higher blood pressure and salt sensitivity. We therefore tested whether immigrants from Afghanistan to Denmark compared with non-immigrant Danes exhibit a (i) higher 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (24-h ABP) and (ii) blunted renin response to a change in salt intake.METHODS: Twenty-four-hour ABP was measured in 40 men of Afghan (Afghans) and 40 men of Danish (Danes) origin. Each group was divided into young (20-30 years, n = 20) and middle aged (40-60 years, n = 20). A 3-day low (70 mmol per 24-h) and a 3-day high (250 mmol per 24-h) salt intake were in addition instituted in subgroups of the young groups (n = 18).RESULTS: Young and middle-aged Afghans exhibited a lower 24-h mean arterial pressure (24-h MAP) than the same respective age groups of Danes (83 ± 1 versus 90 ± 1 mm Hg, P<0·05, and 89 ± 2 versus 100 ± 1 mm Hg, P<0·05). 24-h ABP did not change in any of the young groups during increased salt intake, whereas the Danes exhibited a greater decrease in plasma renin activity (PRA) (P<0·05). Plasma noradrenaline (PNA ) was significantly higher among the young Afghans.CONCLUSIONS: Afghan immigrants to Denmark exhibit a lower 24-h ABP than Danes. In young Afghans, PRA is less sensitive to changes in salt intake, while PNA is higher and may reflect their lower systolic blood pressure and/or arterial pulse pressure. Whether these hormonal differences can explain the lower 24-h ABP in Afghans should be further explored.

AB - PURPOSE: Immigration from a Third-World society to a Western society can be associated with higher blood pressure and salt sensitivity. We therefore tested whether immigrants from Afghanistan to Denmark compared with non-immigrant Danes exhibit a (i) higher 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (24-h ABP) and (ii) blunted renin response to a change in salt intake.METHODS: Twenty-four-hour ABP was measured in 40 men of Afghan (Afghans) and 40 men of Danish (Danes) origin. Each group was divided into young (20-30 years, n = 20) and middle aged (40-60 years, n = 20). A 3-day low (70 mmol per 24-h) and a 3-day high (250 mmol per 24-h) salt intake were in addition instituted in subgroups of the young groups (n = 18).RESULTS: Young and middle-aged Afghans exhibited a lower 24-h mean arterial pressure (24-h MAP) than the same respective age groups of Danes (83 ± 1 versus 90 ± 1 mm Hg, P<0·05, and 89 ± 2 versus 100 ± 1 mm Hg, P<0·05). 24-h ABP did not change in any of the young groups during increased salt intake, whereas the Danes exhibited a greater decrease in plasma renin activity (PRA) (P<0·05). Plasma noradrenaline (PNA ) was significantly higher among the young Afghans.CONCLUSIONS: Afghan immigrants to Denmark exhibit a lower 24-h ABP than Danes. In young Afghans, PRA is less sensitive to changes in salt intake, while PNA is higher and may reflect their lower systolic blood pressure and/or arterial pulse pressure. Whether these hormonal differences can explain the lower 24-h ABP in Afghans should be further explored.

KW - Adult

KW - Afghanistan

KW - Age Factors

KW - Biological Markers

KW - Blood Pressure

KW - Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory

KW - Denmark

KW - Emigrants and Immigrants

KW - Humans

KW - Hypertension

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Norepinephrine

KW - Renin

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Sex Factors

KW - Sodium Chloride, Dietary

KW - Time Factors

KW - Young Adult

U2 - 10.1111/cpf.12055

DO - 10.1111/cpf.12055

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23710544

VL - 33

SP - 470

EP - 477

JO - Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging

JF - Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging

SN - 1475-0961

IS - 6

ER -