Hypertensive Adolescents: Correlation with Body Mass Index and Lipid and Glucose Profiles

Abstract Background: The occurrence of hypertension during adolescence correlates with metabolic changes, obesity, and overweight. Objective: To correlate the lipid and glucose profiles of hypertensive and nonhypertensive adolescents with age, gender, body mass index (BMI), weight, and height. Methods: We selected 53 hypertensive adolescents and 182 healthy, nonhypertensive adolescents. The adolescents were divided into three groups: group I (GI; n = 108, 58 males, mean age 15.2 ± 2.2 years), consisted of healthy, nonhypertensive adolescents of healthy parents without a diagnosis of hypertension, dyslipidemia, or diabetes; group II (GII, n = 53, 28 males, mean age 13.9 ± 1.4 years), consisted of adolescents with confirmed hypertension; and group III (GIII; n = 74, 31 males, mean age 14.9 ± 2.2 years), consisted of healthy, nonhypertensive adolescents of parents with a diagnosis of hypertension, dyslipidemia, or diabetes. Results: Gender and weight did not differ significantly among the groups. The subjects in GII were overall younger (around 1 year), shorter, and had a higher BMI compared with those in GI and GIII. After adjustment for age and BMI, GII presented higher glucose and LDL-C levels and lower HDL-C levels compared with GI and GIII. Total cholesterol and triglycerides levels showed no differences between groups. GI and GIII had no significant differences with regard to the analyzed variables. Conclusion: Hypertensive adolescents showed higher values of BMI, and serum glucose and LDL-C levels, and lower serum HDL-C levels. These findings reveal that the changes in lipid profile and glucose metabolism that occur during adolescence may be influenced by the occurrence of hypertension during this developmental phase.