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Ethnic Differences in Resting Total Peripheral Resistance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Briana N Brownlow1, DeWayne P Williams, Gaston Kapuku
1From the Department of Psychology (Brownlow, Vasey), The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Department of Psychological Science (Williams, Thayer), University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California; Department of Pediatrics and Medicine (Kapuku), Georgia Prevention Institute, Augusta, Georgia; Department of Social Work and Nursing (Anderson), Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida; Section for Experimental Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg (Koenig), Heidelberg, Germany; University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern (Koenig), Bern, Switzerland; and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Behavioral Medicine, School of Medicine (Hill), Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
African Americans (AAs) have higher total peripheral resistance (TPR) than European Americans (EAs), while EAs exhibit greater cardiac output (CO). This study quantifies these ethnic differences in hemodynamic mechanisms influencing blood pressure.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Ethnic Health Disparities
- Hypertension Research
Background:
- Ethnic variations in hemodynamic mechanisms contribute to arterial blood pressure differences.
- African Americans (AAs) generally show higher total peripheral resistance (TPR) than European Americans (EAs).
- European Americans (EAs) tend to have greater cardiac output (CO) compared to AAs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze existing literature.
- To quantify ethnic differences in resting total peripheral resistance (TPR) and cardiac output (CO).
- To extend previous research on cardiovascular differences between AAs and EAs.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review and meta-analysis.
- Inclusion of 40 studies comparing TPR between AAs and EAs.
- Computation of Hedges g to determine effect sizes for TPR and CO differences.
Main Results:
- AAs exhibited significantly higher baseline total peripheral resistance (TPR) than EAs (Hedges g = 0.307, p < .001).
- EAs demonstrated significantly higher resting cardiac output (CO) compared to AAs (Hedges g = -0.214, p < .001).
Conclusions:
- The findings confirm significant ethnic differences in resting hemodynamic profiles between AAs and EAs.
- Elevated TPR in AAs is discussed in relation to the adverse effects of hypertension.
- These differences are crucial for understanding hypertension pathophysiology and targeted treatments.
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