**3. Results**

**Table 1** represents the Descriptive statistics of the general characteristics. There was significant (p ≤ 0.05) mean difference of diastolic blood pressure of the <10 mmHg and ≥ 10 mmHg groups. The prevalence of obesity, diabetes and hypertension was insignificantly (p > 0.05) higher in the <10 mmHg group (1.8–30.9%) than the ≥10 mmHg (0–16.7%).

**Table 2** shows the association between risk factors and inter arm differences in systolic blood pressure among Ellisras young adults. There was a positive significant association between IASBPD and hypertension (B = 5.331; 95%CI = 12.260–23.183; P = 0.026). There was also a positive significant association found between gender and IASBPD (B = 1.998; 95%CI = 0.022–3.903; P = 0.043).

**Table 3** shows the association between risk factors and interarm differences in diastolic blood pressure among Ellisras young adults. There was a positive significant association found between SBP and IADBPD (B = 1.003; 95%CI = 0.967–1.041; P = 0.001) while there was no significant association found between DBP and IADBPD (B = 1.081; 95%CI = 1.032–1.131; P = 0.920).

#### *Lifestyle and Epidemiology - The Double Burden of Poverty and Cardiovascular Diseases...*


#### **Table 1.**

*Descriptive statistics showing general characteristics.*


**103**

**4. Discussion**

*P* ≤ *0.05.*

**Table 3.**

*adults.*

BMI (Kg/m2

diastolic interarm difference ≥ 10 mmHg.

*Inter Arm Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Risk in Young Adults at Ellisras*

**Variables B 95%CI P-value**

Age (years) 0.858 0.713 1.032 0.203 Gender 1.970 0.963 5.596 0.596 Height (cm) 1.023 0.940 1.113 0.851 Weight (kg) 1.013 0.889 1.153 0.654

SBP (mmHg) 1.003 0.967 1.041 0.001 DBP (mmHg) 1.081 1.032 1.131 0.920 Fasting gucose(mmol/L) 1.024 0.624 1.632 1.000 TC(mmol/L) 187307.604 0.000 — 1.000 TG (mmol/L) 0.072 0.000 — 1.000 HDL-C (mmol/L) 0.000 0.000 — 1.000 LDL-C (mmol/L) 0.000 0.000 — 1.000 Diabetes 0.000 0.000 — 0.999 Hypertension 0.261 0.022 3.132 0.290

) 0.920 0.640 1.323 0.853

**Lower upper 0.105**

In the current study, 12 participants (5 males and 7 females; 1.92% of the sample size) showed an inter arm difference ≥ 10 mmHg. A previous study has suggested that interarm BP difference was more usual among young healthy study participants, with an interarm blood pressure difference > 10 mm Hg reported in 111 (12.6%) and 77 (8.8%) participants for SBP and DBP respectively [23]. The current study did not find similar results due to a low prevalence found. Another study conducted among hypertensive patients reported a prevalence of 7.7% (285 patients with a systolic interarm difference of ≥10 mm Hg), while 1.5% (57 patients) had a ≥ 10 mmHg diastolic interarm blood pressure difference. Furthermore, a study by Kim et al. [22] reported a 0.6% (21 patients) prevalence for both systolic and

*The association between risk factors and inter arm differences in diastolic blood pressure among Ellisras young* 

The different findings found between the current and other related studies could

be because of the varying age groups, diseases profile of the participants (some being healthy and others suffering from hypertension and other chronic diseases) or even the different methods used to measure the interarm BP difference. The difference in systolic blood pressure between arms is considered a risk marker and advantageous due to that it is easy to measure clinically without additional equipment and is more acceptable to patients. Furthermore, studies have associated a systolic inter arm difference ≥ 15 mmHg [24], and ≥ 10 mmHg with cardiovascular risk and mortality [7]. The inability to detect the interarm BP difference may result in insufficient treatment of people suffering from hypertension and interrupt hypertension diagnosis. Hence, it is vital to measure blood pressure in both arms.

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96704*

#### **Table 2.**

*The association between risk factors and inter arm differences in SBP.*


#### *Inter Arm Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Risk in Young Adults at Ellisras DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96704*

#### **Table 3.**

*Lifestyle and Epidemiology - The Double Burden of Poverty and Cardiovascular Diseases...*

BMI (Kg/m2

*P* ≤ *0.05.*

**Table 1.**

BMI (Kg/m2

Gender m = 301(49.2%)

*Descriptive statistics showing general characteristics.*

*The association between risk factors and inter arm differences in SBP.*

**Variables <10 mmHg** ≥**10 mmHg P-value** Height (cm) 168.26 ± 13.15 169.52 ± 10.19 0.743 Weight (Kg) 66.99 ± 14.22 67.74 ± 22.54 0.859

SBP (mmHg) 119.99 ± 12.88 117.92 ± 20.38 0.585 DBP (mmHg) 70.03 ± 9.62 81.50 ± 15.41 0.000 Fasting glucose (mmol/L) 5.54 ± 1.27 5.38 ± 0.87 0.677 TC (mmol/L) 4.14 ± 1.03 4.39 ± 1.05 0.406 TG (mmol/L) 1.01 ± 0.59 1.05 ± 0.48 0.827 HDL-C(mmol/L) 1.15 ± 0.34 1.18 ± 0.33 0.724 LDL- C (mmol/L) 2.80 ± 0.87 3.00 ± 0.84 0.429

f = 311(50.8%)

Obesity 189(30.9%) 2(16.7%) 0.716 Diabetes 10(1.66%) 0(0%) 0.655 Hypertension 11(1.8%) 1(8.3%) 0.103

**Variables B 95%CI P-value**

Age (years) 0.929 0.825 1.046 0.222 Gender 1.998 0.022 3.903 0.043 Height (cm) 1.002 0.981 1.024 0.853 Weight (kg) 1.038 0.986 1.092 0.159

SBP (mmHg) 1.000 0.974 1.026 0.983 DBP (mmHg) 1.012 0.980 1.045 0.464 Fasting glucose(mmol/L) 1.093 0.822 1.454 0.540 TC(mmol/L) 0.000 0.000 — 1.000 TG (mmol/L) 23.905 0.000 — 1.000 HDL-C (mmol/L) 1174525.430 0.000 — 1.000 LDL-C (mmol/L) 7854389.463 0.000 — 1.000 Diabetes 0.000 0.000 — 0.999 Hypertension 5.331 12.260 23.183 0.026

) 0.882 0.764 1.018 0.087

) 23.51 ± 5.47 23.58 ± 7.39 0.964

m = 5 (41.7%) f = 7(58.3%)

**Lower upper**

0.606

**102**

*P* ≤ *0.05.*

**Table 2.**

*The association between risk factors and inter arm differences in diastolic blood pressure among Ellisras young adults.*
