Association of family history of type 2 diabetes with blood pressure and resting heart rate in young normal weight Japanese women

We suggested association of family history of type 2 diabetes (FHD) with microvascular dysfunction, which may cause blood pressure (BP) elevations. We test whether FHD may be associated with higher BP.

Resting BP, heart rates (in beats per minute: bpm), body composition and fasting concentrations of glucose, insulin, leptin and adiponectin were measured in 332 Japanese women aged 18–24 years. They were grouped according to BP category defined by the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Blood Pressure Guideline.

BMI averaged < 22 kg/m² and did not differ cross-sectionally between 73 with (FHD+) and 259 without FHD (FHD−). FHD+ had higher mean (81 ± 9 vs. 77 ± 7 mmHg, p < 0.001), systolic (111 ± 13 vs. 106 ± 10 mmHg, p = 0.003) and diastolic BP (65 ± 8 vs. 60 ± 7 mmHg, p < 0.001). Prevalence of elevated BP (11.0 vs. 6.2%), hypertension stage 1 (4.1 vs. 0.8%) and stage 2 (2.7 vs. 0.4%) was higher as well (p = 0.01). Endurance training in FHD+ abolished the differences in BP readings and BP prevalence. However, the mean resting heart rate in FHD+ athletes (61.2 bpm) was close to those in FHD+ (64.7 bpm) and FHD− nonathletes (64.6 bpm) and was higher than in FHD− athletes (56.5 bpm). Fat mass and distribution evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, markers of insulin resistance, and serum adipokines studied did not differ between the two groups.

FHD was associated with higher BP and higher prevalence of elevated BP and hypertension, suggesting contribution of microvascular dysfunction in BP elevations in normal weight young Japanese women. FHD may be associated with reduced heart rate response to endurance training as well.