BACKGROUNDMany studies have suggested that C-reactive protein (CRP) and blood lipids are associated with hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, few studies discussed the combined action of CRP and blood lipids on the risk of hypertension and prehypertension. This study aimed to investigate the combined action of CRP and lipid profiles on the risk of hypertension and prehypertension in Mongolian adults from Inner Mongolia, China.

METHODSThe systolic and diastolic blood pressure, height, weight and waist circumference were measured and factors such as smoking, alcohol intake, family history of hypertension, etc., were investigated and CRP, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG) were tested for 2 534 Mongolian adults aged ≥ 20 years. The subjects were divided into four subgroups, namely CRP median subgroup, CRP >median and LDL-C (TG) median and LDL-C (TG) >median subgroup. The ORs (95% CIs) of hypertension and prehypertension for the subgroups were calculated by univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTSThe multivariate adjusted ORs (95%CIs) of hypertension/prehypertension were 1.389 (0.979-1.970)/1.151(0.865-1.531), 1.666 (1.159-2.394)/1.431 (1.060-1.930), 1.756 (1.242-2.484)/ 1.770 (1.321-2.372), for CRP median subgroup, CRP >median and LDL-C median and LDL-C >median subgroup, respectively, compared with CRP median subgroup, CRP >median and TG median and TG >median subgroup, respectively, compared with CRP median and LDL-C (TG) >median subgroup among the four subgroups.

CONCLUSIONSSubjects with both CRP >median and LDL-C (TG) >median had highest risks of hypertension and prehypertension among all subjects. This study appeared to indicate that the combined action of elevated CRP and elevated LDL-C (TG) further increase the risks of hypertension and prehypertension among Mongolian population.