Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Baseline Na–Li countertransport and risk of hypertension in children: a 10-year prospective study in Hanzhong children

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 18, pages 885–890 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Sodium–lithium countertransport (Na–Li CT) is associated with blood pressure (BP) and in many cross-sectional investigations and some longitudinal studies, essential hypertension has been proposed as a biochemical marker or predictor of hypertension risk in adults. The present study investigated prospectively whether baseline Na–Li CT rate was an index of increased risk of future development of hypertension in children. At baseline visit in 1987 of the Hanzhong Children Hypertension Study comprising 4000 school children aged 5–6 years old, 310 samples were randomly selected for measurement of baseline Na–Li CT rate; we made a 10-year follow-up of them in the same season in 1997. This cohort of children is the sample for analysis in the present report. Baseline Na–Li CT rate was positively correlated to systolic BP (SBP) both in baseline and follow-up (baseline, γ=0.21, P<0.05; follow-up, γ=0.32, P<0.01), and positively correlated to diastolic BP (DBP) (γ=0.20, P<0.05) and body mass index (γ=0.18, P<0.05) in follow-up examination. Longitudinal analysis of 10-year BP evolution, children in higher baseline Na–Li CT (ie, >260 μmoll RBC/h) had greater BP change than children in lower baseline Na–Li CT (ie, ⩽260 μmol/l RBC/h) (SBP, 15.8±12.9 vs 19.3±13.1, DBP 8.8±11.2 and 11.3±10.6, P<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that children in the higher Na–Li CT (>260 μmol/l RBC/h) were associated with approximately 1.5 times greater risk of high BP) in comparison to placement in lower Na–Li CT (⩽260 μmol/l RBC/h). Elevated baeline RBC Na–Li countertransport could be a risk predictor predisposing to the development of hypertension in children.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Canessa M et al. Increased sodium–lithium countertransport in red cells of patients with essential hypertension. N Engl J Med 1980; 302: 772–775.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Trevisan M et al. Abnormal red blood cell ion transport and hypertension. The People's Gas Company Study. Hypertension 1983; 5(3): 363–367.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Hassted ST et al. Hypertension and sodium–lithium countertransport in Utah pedigrees evidence for major locus inheritance. Am J Hum Genet 1988; 43: 14–22.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Weder AB et al. Red blood cell lithium–sodium countertransport in the Tecumseh Blood Pressure Study. Hypertension 1991; 17(5): 652–660.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Mu JJ et al. A six-year retrospective study on the relationship of sodium–lithium countertransport with blood pressure and sodium sensitivity in children. J Xian Med Univ 1996; 8(1): 11–13.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Weder AB . Is there a metabolic link between increased red blood cell lithium–sodium countertransport and hypertension? Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 1993; 3: 38–45.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Williams RR et al. Genetic traits related to hypertension and electrolyte metabolism. Hypertension 1991; 17(Suppl 1): I–69–I-73.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Rebbeck TR, Turner ST, Sing CF . Sodium–lithium countertransport genotype and probability of hypertension in adults. Hypertension 1993; 22: 560–568.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Hardman TC, Lant AF . Controversies surrounding erythrocyte sodium–lithium countertransport. J Hypertension 1996; 14: 695–703.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Turner ST, Sing CF . Erythrocyte sodium transport and the probability of having hypertension. J Hypertens 1996; 14: 829–837.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Hunt SC, Stephenson SH, Hopkins PN, Williams RR . Predictors of an increased risk of future hypertension in Utah. Hypertension 1991; 17: 969–976.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Hunt SC et al. A prospective study of sodium–lithium countertransport and hypertension in Utah. Hypertension 1991; 17: 1–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Laurenzi M et al. Baseline sodium–lithium countertransport and 6-year incidence of hypertension: the Gubbio Population Study. Circulation 1997; 95: 581–587.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Strazzullo P et al. Red blood cell sodium–lithium countertransport and risk of future hypertension. Hypertension 1998; 31: 1284–1289.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Lauer RM, Clarke WR, Beaglehole R . Childhood risk factors for high adult blood pressure: the Muscatine Study. Pediatrics 1989; 84: 633–637.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Fuentes RM et al. Tracking of systolic blood pressure during childhood: a 15-year follow-up population-based family study in eastern Finland. J Hypertens 2002; 20(2): 195–202.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Lauer RM, Clarke WR, Beaglehole R . Level, trend, and variability of blood pressure during childhood: The Muscatine Study. Circulation 1984; 69: 242–249.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Lauer RM, Anderson AR, Beaglehole R, Barns TL . Factors related to tracking of blood pressure in children: US National Center for Health Statistics Health Examination Surveys Cycles II and III. Hypertension 1984; 6: 307–314.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Longo MB et al. Low birth weight and risk of hypertension in African school children. J Cardiovasc Risk 1999; 6(5): 311–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Bao W, Threefoot SA, Srinivasan SR, Berenson GS . Essential hypertension predicted by tracking of elevated blood pressure from childhood to adulthood: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Am J Hypertens 1995; 8(7): 657–665.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Liu ZQ et al. The predictive value of higher level blood pressure in children in developing hypertension. Chin J Cardiol 1996; 24: 254–256.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Laurenzi M, Trevisan M . Sodium–lithium countertransport and blood pressure: the Gubbio population study. Hypertension 1989; 13: 408–415.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Turner ST, Micherls VV . Sodium–lithium countertransport and hypertension in Rochester, Minnesota. Hypertension 1991; 18: 183–190.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Weder AB et al. Erythrocyte sodium–lithium countertransport and blood pressure: a genome-wide linkage study. Hypertension 2003; 41(3 Part 2): 842–846.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Sanchez-Bayle M, Munoz-Fernandez MT, Gonzalez-Requejo A . A longitudinal study of blood pressure in Spanish schoolchildren. Working Group of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Childhood and Adolescence. Arch Dis Child 1999; 81(2): 169–171.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Huot SJ, Aronson PS . Na+–H+ exchanger and its role in essential hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Diabet Care 1991; 14: 521–535.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Semplicini A, Canessa M, Mozzato MA . Red blood cell Na+/H+ and Na+/Li+ exchange in patients with essential hypertension. Am J Hypertens 1989; 2: 903–908.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Weder AB . Red cell lithium–sodium countertransport and renal lithium clearance in hypertension. N Engl J Med 1987; 314: 198–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Ng LL, Quinn PA, Baker F, Carr SJ . Red cell Na+/Li+ countertransport and Na+/H+ exchanger isoforms in human proximal tubules. Kidney Int 2000; 58(1): 229–235.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Aalkjaer C . Regulation of intracellular pH and its role in vascular smooth muscle function. J Hypertens 1990; 8: 197–206.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The Hanzhong Children Hypertension Study was planned and carried out by the Cardiovascular Center of Xian Jiaotong University, in cooperation with Hanzhong Cardiovascular Institute. We acknowledge the useful cooperation of the physicians of Hanzhong Cardiovascular Institute, particularly Dr Xianglin Xu and Dr Jun Yang. We also acknowledge the fine work of the field survey team: Dr Jixin Hu, Dr Huachun Ji, Dr Shue Xong, Dr Chaofeng Sun et al.

Author information

Author notes

  1. This work is granted by National Science and Technology ministry.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiovascular Research Institute, First Hospital, Xian Jiaotong University, Xian, PR, China

    J Mu, Z Liu, D Yang, Y Liang, Z Wang & R Hou

Authors
  1. J Mu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Z Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Y Liang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Z Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. R Hou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J Mu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mu, J., Liu, Z., Yang, D. et al. Baseline Na–Li countertransport and risk of hypertension in children: a 10-year prospective study in Hanzhong children. J Hum Hypertens 18, 885–890 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001760

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001760

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links