PROBABILITY OF HAVING HYPERTENSION - EFFECTS OF SEX, HISTORY OF HYPERTENSION IN PARENTS, AND OTHER RISK-FACTORS

The objective of the present study was to determine whether paternal a nd maternal history of hypertension contributes to the probability of an individual having hypertension before and after other measured trai ts, including sex, are considered. A cross sectional sample of 217 men and 196 women was selected from the general Caucasion population of R ochester, Minnesota without respect to the hypertension status of subj ects and their parents. Logistic regression analyses indicated that wh en no other information was considered, paternal history of hypertensi on contributed to the probability of having hypertension in men (chi(2 ) = 4.14, df = 1, p = 0.042) and in women (chi(2) = 4.12, df = 1, P = 0.042). The odds ratio associated with paternal history of hypertensio n was 2.80 in men (95% confidence interval [CT] = 1.0-8.0); the odds r atio was 4.11 in women (95% CI = 0.9-19.3). Maternal history of hypert ension provided a marginally significant contribution to the predictio n of probability of having hypertension in men (chi(2) = 3.86, df = 1, P = 0.049 in men), and less so in women (chi(2) = 3.31, df = 1, P = 0 .068). The odds ratios associated with maternal history of hypertensio n were 2.85 in men (95% CT = 0.9-8.8) and 3.60 in women (95% CI = 0.8- 16.9). A stepwise selection algorithm was used to select other predict ors of hypertension in men and women. Other predictors of hypertension identified in men were age and sodium-lithium countertransport level. After these other predictors were considered, paternal but not matern al history of hypertension contributed to the probability of having hy pertension in men. In a model that contained these other predictors, t he partial odds ratio associated with paternal history of hypertension was 3.38 (95% CI = 1.1 = 10.1). Other predictors identified in women were age, apolipoprotein (ape) B, and apo B squared. After these other predictors were considered, neither paternal nor maternal history of hypertension made a statistically significant contribution to the prob ability of having hypertension in women. These results suggest that ev aluation of the hypertension risk of an individual depends on the sex of the individual, the sexes of the individual's hypertensive parents, and the values of other measured risk factor traits.