24-HOUR BLOOD-PRESSURE CHANGES IN YOUNG SOMALIAN BLACKS AFTER MIGRATION TO ITALY

Blood pressure changes induced by migration from Somalia to Italy were studied in 25 normotensive clinically healthy blacks (aged 29 +/- 6 y ears) who had immigrated from Mogadishu to Florence. Basal and 24-h am bulatory blood pressure, venous compliance, and daily urinary electrol yte excretion were measured on arrival and 6 months later. After 6 mon ths both basal pressure (P < .05 for systolic blood pressure, P < .01 for diastolic blood pressure) and 24-h blood pressure (P < .004 for sy stolic blood pressure, P < .01 for diastolic blood pressure) had signi ficantly increased. Urinary sodium excretion had also increased (P < . 001), whereas plasma renin activity was significantly reduced (P < .05 ). The ambulatory pressure increase was significantly related to the u rinary sodium increase (r = 0.49; P < .01). At follow-up 8 of 25 black s were hypertensive according to the WHO definition (basal diastolic b lood pressure >90 mm Hg). In conclusion, an increase in 24-h blood pre ssure is detectable after immigration and changes seems to be mainly r elated to higher sodium intake in the Western diet.