Clinical characteristics and risk factors of relative systemic hypertension and hypertension among sickle cell patients in Cameroon

Arthemon Nguweneza; Valentina Josiane Ngo Bitoungui; Khuthala Mnika; Gaston Mazandu; Victoria Nembaware; Andre P Kengne; Ambroise Wonkam

doi:10.3389/fmed.2022.924722

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of relative systemic hypertension and hypertension among sickle cell patients in Cameroon

Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Jul 19:9:924722. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.924722. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Arthemon Nguweneza¹, Valentina Josiane Ngo Bitoungui¹, Khuthala Mnika¹, Gaston Mazandu¹, Victoria Nembaware¹, Andre P Kengne², Ambroise Wonkam^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
² Non-communicable Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
³ McKusick-Nathans Institute and Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.

Abstract

Increased blood pressure (BP) has been associated with higher risk of stroke and mortality in Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). We investigated risk factors associated with Relative Systemic Hypertension (RSH) or systemic hypertension in SCD patients in Cameroon. Using R, Multivariate multinomial logistic regression modeling was used to examine the effects of the demographic, anthropometric, clinical, and laboratory factors to determine risk factors. A total of 815 individuals with SCD, including 380 (46.6%) males were analyzed. At baseline, the median age [interquartile range] was 18.0 [12.0-25.0] years, ranging from 3 to 66 years. Approximately three-quarters of the patients (n = 645; 79.1%) had normal BP, 151 (18.5%) had RSH and 19 (2.3%) had hypertension. Age (P < 0.001) and gender (P = 0.022) were significantly different across the BP categories. Weight (P < 0.001), height (P < 0.001), BMI (P < 0.001), pulse pressure (P = 0.020), history of stroke (P = 0.012), hemoglobin level (P = 0.002), red blood cell count (P = 0.031), creatinine (P < 0.001), and (estimated glomerular filtration rate) eGFR (P = 0.002) was also significantly different across the three BP categories. After adjustment, the significantly associated factors of RSH in the SCD patients were age [OR = 1.03, (95% CI = 1.01-1.06), P < 0.010], male gender [OR = 1.54, (95% CI = 1.04-2.27), P = 0.029], BMI [OR = 1.10, (95% CI = 1.04-1.17), P = 0.001]. After adjustment, the independent variables significantly associated factors of Hypertension in the SCD patients were age [OR = 1.05, (95% CI = 1.01-1.10), P = 0.034], male gender [OR = 3.31, (95% CI = 1.04-10.52), P = 0.042], BMI [OR = 1.14, (95% CI = 1.01-1.29), P = 0.027]. Creatinine was significantly associated with RSH [OR =1.31 (1.05-1.63), P = 0.016]. SCD patients with RSH or hypertension maybe at increased risk of renal dysfunction. We found relatively high prevalence of RSH and hypertension (20.8%) in SCD patients in Cameroon. Tailored Interventions that consider major risk factors (age, gender, and BMI) may lower BP pressure and prevent severe complications.

Keywords: Africa; Cameroon; hypertension; relative hypertension; risk factors; sickle cell disease.

Grants and funding

U24 HL135600/HL/NHLBI NIH HHS/United States