Sodium excretion and associated factors in urine samples of African descendants in Alcântara, Brazil: a population based study.

In most countries, salt intake has been excessive and constitutes one of the main risk factors for disease development, especially hypertension. Factors such as age, gender, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, African descent, obesity, dietary habits and family history of hypertension may be associated with high blood pressure. Studies show a positive association between the excretion of sodium and increased blood pressure. We evaluated the urinary excretion of sodium and associated factors in isolated urine samples of African descendants from remaining Quilombos. We performed a cross-sectional, population-based study with 1162 African descendants living in remaining quilombos in Alcântara, Maranhão, Brazil. Demographic, nutritional, clinical and laboratory data were analyzed. Urinary sodium excretion was estimated using the Kawasaki equation. A multivariate linear regression model was used to identify the variables related to sodium excretion. The average age was 37.6 ± 11.8 years and 51.2% were women. The prevalence of hypertension was 21.3%. The average urinary excretion of sodium was high, especially among the hypertensive (217.9 ± 90.1 vs. 199.2 ± 83.0 mmol/d; p = .002). After an adjusted analysis, only the waist circumference (odds ratios (OR) = 1.16; confidence intervals(CI)95%: 1.03-1.30), triglyceride (OR = 1.13; CI95%: 1.05-1.22), systolic blood pressure (OR = 1.19; CI95%: 1.08-1.32) and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology (CKD-EPI;OR = 1.24; CI95%: 1.15-1.35) remained related to urinary sodium excretion. African descendants had a high rate of sodium excretion, especially among those who had hypertension. Abdominal adiposity, triglyceride and systolic blood pressure levels and renal function by CKD-EPI equation were associated to urinary sodium excretion.

Association between renal damage markers and carotid atherosclerosis in Afro-descendants with hypertension belonging to a minority ethnic group from Brazil.

Ethnicity appears to play an important role in the prevalence and severity of hypertension, renal disease, and atherosclerosis. A cross-sectional study was conducted, including 206 Afro-descendants with hypertension, living in the remaining quilombo communities. These subjects underwent a carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) assessment. The presence of renal injury was assessed by: (1) The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimated by the formula CKD-EPI using creatinine and cystatin C and (2) Albuminuria (ACR ≥30 mg/g). The Poisson distribution model was set with robust variance to identify factors associated with carotid atherosclerosis. The statistical analysis was performed using the Stata 12.0 software, adopting a significance level of 5%. Most subjects were women (61.65%); the average age was 61.32 (±12.44) years. Subjects (12.62%) were identified with GFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 22.8% with albuminuria. Patients (59.22%) presented with a high CIMT. In the adjusted regression model, age ≥60 years (PR: 1.232 [CI 95%:1.091-1.390], p value = .001), ACR ≥30 mg/g (PR: 1.176 [CI 95%: 1.007-1.373], p = .040), and GFR/CKD-EPI using cystatin C (PR: 1.250 [CI 95%: 1.004-1.557], p = .045) were independently associated with carotid atherosclerosis. The occurrence of atherosclerotic lesions was high in the studied group. Age, albuminuria, and GFR (estimated by the formula CKD-EPI using cystatin C) influenced the prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis.

Visceral adiposity indicators and cardiovascular risk in hemodialytic patients.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular diseases represent the main cause of death in chronic kidney disease (CKD). We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and association of the hypertriglyceridemia-waist phenotype (HWP) and visceral adiposity index (VAI) with cardiometabolic risk factors (CR) in patients with CKD on hemodialysis (HD). METHODS: The study is based on a cross-sectional design with 265 HD patients in two cities in northeastern Brazil. The VAI was calculated considering the variables body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), triglycerides (TG) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c). HWP was defined as the concomitant elevation of WC and TG. The Poisson Regression Model with robust variance estimation was adjusted considering a hierarchical approach for explanatory variables. Prevalence ratios (PR) were also estimated. The level of significance adopted was 5%. RESULTS: In our study HWP and VAI prevalence's were 29.82% and 58.49%, respectively. In the final model, there was an association between VAI and female gender (PR = 1.46; p < 0.0001) and high body fat (% BF) (PR = 1.33; p < 0.0019). HWP was associated with females (PR = 1.80; p = 0.002), alcohol consumption (PR = 1.58; p = 0.033), obesity (PR = 1.89; p = 0.0001), high %BF (PR = 1.76; p = 0.012) and reduced HDL-c (PR = 1.48; p = 0.035). CONCLUSION: The HWP stood out as the association with more CR factors, representing a promising method for tracking cardiometabolic risk in HD patients, mainly female.