Prevalence of prehypertensive state and other cardiovascular risk factors in the First Infantry Regiment, the King's own bodyguard.

OBJECTIVE The objective of the present study was to identify the prevalence of pre-hypertension in the Army officers in a combat unit and to characterize the factors that are associated with increased prevalence of pre-hypertension. MATERIAL AND METHOD This was a cross sectional study performed in all officers of the 1st Infantry Regiment, the King's own bodyguard, in June 2007. Baseline demographic data were obtained and physical examination was performed in all participants. Apart from serum hemoglobin and urinalysis, which were studied in all participants, other laboratory examination were studied in officers whose age was 35 years old or more. All participants were classified into three groups according to their blood pressure using the Joint National Committee (JNC) 7 criteria; Group 1: Normal (BP < 120/80 mmHg), Group 2: Pre-hypertension (BP 120-139/ 80-89 mmHg), and Group 3: Hypertension (BP > or = 140/90 mmHg). The prevalence of pre-hypertension was calculated and the factors that correlated with increasing prevalence of prehypertension were identified using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS There were 1,472 officers who participated in the present study, all of them were male. The mean age of the studied population was 36.25 +/- 8.98 years. The mean weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were 68.66 +/- 9.61 kilograms, 169.60 +/- 4.85 centimeters, 23.87 +/- 3.21 and 32.40 +/- 3.39 inches, respectively. The prevalence of normotension, pre-hypertension and hypertension were 40.01%, 41.44% and 18.55% respectively. The factors that were correlated with increasing prevalence of pre-hypertension (p < 0.05) were older age; overweight and obesity (compared with normal BMI); high serum uric acid, hemoglobin, aspatate aminotransferase (AST); and proteinuria and metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION The prevalence of pre-hypertension in this population was relatively high. Pre-hypertension was found more often in older persons, with the increase in BMI, serum AST, hemoglobin and uric acid, proteinuria and metabolic syndrome.