ABSTRACT
Objective There are no community based, longitudinal, intra individual epidemiological studies on effect of weather and season on blood pressure (BP). We evaluated the effect of season and temperature on prevalence and epidemiology of BP in tropical climate. Methods and results It was a longitudinal cross sectional survey of rural and urban subjects in their native surroundings. BP was measured in four different seasons in same subjects. A total of 978 subjects (452 rural and 521 urban) were included in the current analysis. Demographic characteristics such as age, gender, education, occupational based physical activity and body mass index (BMI) were recorded. Mean BP, both systolic and diastolic were significantly higher in winter season as compared to summer season. Mean difference between winter and summer was 9.01 (95% CI: 7.74–10.28, p < 0.001) in systolic BP and 5.61 (95% CI: 4.75–6.47, p < 0.001) in diastolic BP. This increase in BP was more marked in rural areas and elderly subjects. Prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher during winter (23.72%) than in summer (10.12%). Conclusion BP increases significantly during winter season as compared to summer season. Increase is more marked in rural areas and elderly subjects. Seasonal variation in BP should be taken into account while looking at prevalence of hypertension in epidemiological studies.
ABSTRACT
Objective A number of cardiovascular variables exhibit a circ adian rhythm. Whethe r myocardial contractile response and gene expression of the contractile protein also show changes with a similar period was here investigated. Method Circadi an variabilities in the left ventricular developed pressure (LVP) and contractil ity (LV dp/dt max) were measured in 24 Sprague-Dawley r ats by directly left ve ntricular catheterizing and compared with changes in the gene expression of α- myosin heavy chain (α-MHC) in myocytes obtained from the same animals by dot b lottin g analysis. Results A circadian rhythm was seen in the variabili ty of LVP (P<0.001), LV dp/dt max (P<0.001) and the bio chemically measured expression of the α- MHC gene (P<0.01). As compared to the amplitude of the rhythm i n α-MHC gene exp ression, the amplitude of the contractility rhythm was large (P< 0.01) and the ci rcadian amplitude of the LVP(P<0.001) was the largest, represent ing perhaps a co mposite of intracardiac plus any extracardiac contributions. Conclusion One of factors determing the circadian rhythm of myocardial contractile function is α -MHC gene expression level.