Hypertension Prevalence in the US Population Varies with Differences in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Genotype: A Cross Sectional Study

Background: The prevalence of hypertension (HTN) associated with alpha -1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) has been studied with indeterminate results . The aim of the study was to prospectively compare the prevalence of HTN before testing in 3 groups of individuals with subsequently normal, moderately deficient, and severely deficient genotypes of AATD with adjustment for differences in demographics and clinical variables. Methods: We performed a cross sectional study using data from the Alpha -1 Coded Testing (ACT) study. The univariate demographic and clinical factors associated with HTN were further analyzed by logisticregression analysis. Results: The prevalence of HTN was 27.2%, 20.6%, and 27.9% for individuals with normal, moderate and severe AATD, respectively (p<0.02). The prevalence of HTN increased with age and