Blood Pressure is Associated with BMI and Predicts Plasma Glucose Control and Triglycerides among Obese Latinos with Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship of BMI, diastolic and systolic blood pressure (DBP, SBP), Triglycerides (TG), HDL‐Cholesterol (C), LDL‐C, Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG), and Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) in Latino patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Demographic information was gathered. Weight and height were measured. Blood sample was obtained from 211 patients ≥21 yrs, HbA1c ≥7, residing in Hartford county (M=26.5%; F=73.5%). Means: age=56.4±11.8 yrs, BMI=33.7±7.8 kg/m2, SBP=120±15.8 mm Hg, DBP=68.4±9.6 mm Hg, TG=153±95 mg/dL, HDL‐C=51±14 mg/dL, LDL‐C=98±39 mg/dL, FPG=10.4±4.5 mmol/dl (187.2±81 mg/dl), HbA1c=9.6±1.8%. 120 patients had a diagnosis of hypertension. Linear regression results revealed that BMI was related only to diastolic BP (adj. R2=0.02, Std. β=0.14, p≤0.04). DBP predicted FPG (adj. R2=0.03, Std. β=0.19, p≤0.01). On regressing both DBP and TG predicting FPG, only TG was significant (adj. R2=0.13, Std. βDBP=0.10 (p=0.15), Std. βTG=0.35(p≤0.00)). FPG was related with HbA1c (adj. R2=0.24, Std. β=0.5, p≤0.00). In an overweight/obese population, the relationship between BMI and plasma glucose among individuals with T2D may be mediated by other metabolic syndrome indicators, such as diastolic BP and TG.Funding: Connecticut NIH Export Center of Excellence for Eliminating Health Disparities among Latinos (NIH‐NCMHD grant # P20MD001765).