Relationship between hematological, inflammatory and lipid profile in newly diagnosed hypertensive patient in Ogbomosho, Southwest, Nigeria

Introduction: Hypertension is a multifaceted cardiovascular condition and one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally. Emerging evidence highlights the interconnected roles of hematological, inflammatory, and biochemical parameters in the pathophysiology of hypertension. Despite the abundance of global data, the relationships between these parameters may vary across populations due to differences in genetic predisposition, environmental exposures, lifestyle factors, and healthcare access. In view of the above background, we investigated the relationship between those parameters among the inhabitants of Ogbomosho, in Oyo state, Nigeria.

Methodology: A hospital based cross-sectional study was carried out at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomosho between May to December, 2024. A total of 160 newly diagnosed hypertensive (NDHTN) and 80 apparently healthy non-hypertensive individuals were recruited for the study, their socio-demographic and clinical data were gathered using questionnaire. About 7 mL of blood were divided into EDTA, citrated and plain specimen bottles. Standard laboratory techniques were appropriately adopted for the estimation of various parameters. Continuous and categorical data were expressed in mean ± SD and percentage respectively, and compared using Student’s t-test and Fisher exact test respectively. SPSS version 26 was used for the statistical analysis.

Results: Significantly elevation were observed in white blood cells count, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukine-6 and tissue necrosis factor (P < 0.05) in NDHTHN. CRP was elevated in about 95% of NDHTN, and it has sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of 73%, 75% and 95% respectively in predicting hypertension. 

Conclusion: This study reinforces the well-established links between hypertension and factors like age, obesity, and gender. Also, the lack of significant differences in some parameters between two studied groups suggests that these abnormalities may not manifest in newly diagnosed cases or may require prolonged exposure to elevated blood pressure to become evident. These findings highlight the need for longitudinal studies to assess the progression of these changes in hypertensive patients over time.