Prehypertension among adults in Great Tunis region (Tunisia): A population-based study.

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of prehypertension (preHTN) and its cardiometabolic profile in Tunisians, and to estimate the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) according to blood pressure status. PATIENTS AND METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2004-2005, and used a two-stage cluster sampling method to select a representative sample of the Great Tunis population. A total of 2712 individuals (1228 men and 1484 women), aged 35 to 69 years were included. Definition and classification of hypertension (HTN) was performed according to guidelines from the Joint National Committee on prevention, detection, evaluation and treatment of high blood pressure (JNC-7) report. RESULTS: The prevalence of preHTN and HTN was 56.8% and 25.0% in males, and 43.1% and 36.1% in females, respectively. Subjects with preHTN and those with HTN showed higher prevalence of diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity and abdominal obesity than the normotensive (NT) group. The metabolic syndrome (MetS) was found in 8.0%, 17.8% and 53.8% of NT, preHT and HTN subjects, respectively. The risk of developing CHD within 10 years, as predicted by the Framingham-Anderson model, was above 15% for 3.9%, 31.1% and 65.0% among NT, preHTN and HTN subjects, respectively. In multivariate analysis, preHTN was associated with age (OR [95% CI], 1.02 [1.01-1.03]; P<0.01), male gender (2.51 [1.89-3.23]; P<0.001), obesity (2.36 [1.71-3.26]; P<0.01), abdominal obesity (1.53 [1.14-2.06]; P<0.01) and smoking (0.70 [0.53-0.92]; P<0.01). CONCLUSION: PreHTN is very common in Tunisians. It is associated with a higher prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors and confers a higher risk for subsequent CHD. These findings support the recommendations of lifestyle modification for preHTN patients.

The metabolic syndrome: prevalence, main characteristics and association with socio-economic status in adults living in Great Tunis.

AIMS: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its association with socio-economic status in the population of Great Tunis. METHODS: The study included 2712 subjects (1228 men and 1484 women), aged 35-70 years and living in the Great Tunis region, all of whom were recruited between March 2004 and June 2005. The sample was weighted by using the inverse of the response rate according to governorate, district and gender. The MetS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III. RESULTS: In the studied population, the overall prevalence of the MetS was 31.2%, and it was significantly more frequently seen in women than in men (37.3% vs 23.9%, respectively; P<0.001), as were abdominal obesity (69% vs 21.6%, respectively; P<0.001), high blood pressure (50.3% vs 43.1%, respectively; P<0.001) and low HDL cholesterol (40.6% vs 33.6%, respectively; P<0.001), the most common characteristics of the MetS. Also, the prevalence of the MetS increased with age in both genders, but more so in women. In those aged greater than 55 years, the prevalence of MetS was 56.7% in women and 30.7% in men. An inverse relationship was observed between level of education and prevalence of the MetS in women, with the highest prevalence being in illiterate women and the lowest in those who were university graduates. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of the MetS is markedly high within the population of Great Tunis and especially in women. As these findings predict future increases in cardiovascular disease in these populations, substantial efforts need to be made to fight against obesity and sedentary lifestyles to ameliorate the expected poor health outcomes.