Cardiovascular function is not associated with creatine kinase activity in a black African population: The SABPA
Catharina M C Mels1, Caitlynd van Zyl2, Hugo W Huisman2,3
1Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa. carina.mels@nwu.ac.za.
Insights
Higher creatine kinase (CK) activity is linked to cardiovascular disease in Black Africans. This study found no association between CK activity and blood pressure in Black individuals, unlike in White individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biochemistry
- Population Health
Background:
- Elevated creatine kinase (CK) activity is a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Black African populations.
- Investigating the relationship between CK activity and cardiovascular parameters like blood pressure is crucial for understanding CVD development in diverse ethnic groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare serum CK activity between Black and White men and women.
- To examine the associations between blood pressure, pulse wave velocity, total peripheral resistance, and CK activity in these ethnic groups.
Main Methods:
- Ambulatory blood pressure, total peripheral resistance, and pulse wave velocity were measured in 197 Black and 208 White participants.
- Serum CK activity was quantified and analyzed in relation to cardiovascular parameters, adjusting for age, BMI, and physical activity.
Main Results:
- Black men and women exhibited higher blood pressure and pulse wave velocity compared to their White counterparts (p < 0.001).
- CK activity was significantly higher in Black women than White women (p = 0.009), but no significant differences were found between men.
- No significant associations were found between CK activity and blood pressure, pulse wave velocity, or total peripheral resistance in the Black African population.
- In White men, total peripheral resistance was associated with CK activity (R²=0.32, p=0.009).
- In White women, systolic blood pressure (R²=0.46, p=0.03) and pulse pressure (R²=0.31, p=0.01) were associated with CK activity.
Conclusions:
- The absence of a link between cardiovascular parameters and CK activity in the Black African population suggests other factors may influence this relationship.
- The observed associations in White individuals may be attributed to enhanced smooth muscle cell contractility or reduced nitric oxide synthesis.
Background:
Higher creatine kinase (CK) activity is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease in black African populations. We compared CK activity and investigated associations of blood pressure with CK activity in black and white men as well as black and white women.
Methods:
Ambulatory blood pressure, total peripheral resistance and pulse wave velocity of 197 black and 208 white participants were determined and serum CK activity was measured.
Results:
Blood pressure and pulse wave velocity were higher in black men and women (all p < 0.001) when compared to their white counterparts. CK activity only varied between black and white women (75.9 U/l vs 62.8 U/l, p = 0.009), even after adjusting for age, body mass index and physical activity. Despite the worse cardiovascular profile of black men and women, and the higher CK activity in the black women, we were unable to link blood pressure, pulse wave velocity or total peripheral resistance with CK activity, in the black African population. In white men, total peripheral resistance was associated with CK activity (R (2) = 0.32; β = 0.25; p = 0.009), whereas systolic blood pressure (R (2) = 0.46; β = 0.17; p = 0.03) and pulse pressure (R (2) = 0.31; β = 0.21; p = 0.01) were associated with CK activity in white women.
Conclusions:
The lack of associations in the black African population suggests that the link between a worse cardiovascular profile and CK activity may be overshadowed by other contributing factors. Whereas, the established link between cardiovascular function and CK activity in the white groups may be the result of enhanced smooth muscle cell contractility and/or attenuated nitric oxide synthesis capacity.
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