This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Rotimi, C. N. Articles by Ward, R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Rotimi, C. N. Articles by Ward, R. Related Collections Clinical genetics Other hypertension Epidemiology

(Hypertension. 1999;33:874-878.)
© 1999 American Heart Association, Inc.

Scientific Contributions

Maximum-Likelihood Generalized Heritability Estimate for Blood Pressure in Nigerian Families

Charles N. Rotimi; Richard S. Cooper; Guichan Cao; Olufemi Ogunbiyi; Modupe Ladipo; Eme Owoaje; Ryk Ward

From the Loyola University Medical Center, Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Maywood, Ill (C.N.R., R.S.C., G.C.), the University of Ibadan, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria (O.O., M.L., E.O.), and the Institute of Biological Anthropology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK (R.W.).

Correspondence to C. Rotimi, Loyola University Medical Center, Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, 2160 S First Ave, Maywood, IL 60153. E-mail crotimi{at}wpo.it.luc.edu

Abstract—Elevated blood pressure (BP) is more common in relatives of hypertensives than in relatives of normotensives, indicating familial resemblance of the BP phenotypes. Most published studies have been conducted in westernized societies. To assess the ability to generalize these estimates, we examined familial patterns of BP in a population-based sample of 510 nuclear families, including 1552 individuals (320 fathers, 370 mothers, 475 sons, and 387 daughters) from Ibadan, Nigeria. The prevalence of obesity in this community is low (body mass index: fathers, 21.6; mothers, 23.6; sons, 19.2; and daughters=21.0 kg/m²). The BP phenotype used in all analyses was created from the best regression model by standardizing the age–adjusted systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) to 0 mean and unit variance. Heritability was estimated by use of the computer program SEGPATH from the most parsimonious model of "no spouse and neither gender nor generation difference" as 45% for SBP and 43% for DBP. The lack of a significant spouse correlation is consistent with little or no influence of the common familial environment. However, the heritability estimate of <50% for both SBP and DBPs reinforces the importance of the nonshared environmental effect.

Key Words: blood pressure • genetics, population • blacks

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. O. Tayo, A. Luke, X. Zhu, A. Adeyemo, and R. S. Cooper Association of Regions on Chromosomes 6 and 7 With Blood Pressure in Nigerian Families Circ Cardiovasc Genet, February 1, 2009; 2(1): 38 - 45. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Kisely MD MSc, M. Terashima MSc, and D. Langille MD MHSc A population-based analysis of the health experience of African Nova Scotians Can. Med. Assoc. J., September 23, 2008; 179(7): 653 - 658. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N.-Y. Wang, J. H. Young, L. A. Meoni, D. E. Ford, T. P. Erlinger, and M. J. Klag Blood Pressure Change and Risk of Hypertension Associated With Parental Hypertension: The Johns Hopkins Precursors Study Arch Intern Med, March 24, 2008; 168(6): 643 - 648. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Gu, T. Rice, S. Wang, W. Yang, C. Gu, C.-S. Chen, J. E. Hixson, C. E. Jaquish, Z.-J. Yao, D.-P. Liu, et al. Heritability of Blood Pressure Responses to Dietary Sodium and Potassium Intake in a Chinese Population Hypertension, July 1, 2007; 50(1): 116 - 122. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Menon, S. J. Fortunato, P. Thorsen, and S. Williams Genetic Associations in Preterm Birth: A Primer of Marker Selection, Study Design, and Data Analysis Reproductive Sciences, December 1, 2006; 13(8): 531 - 541. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. Luke, R. Durazo-Arvizu, G. Cao, A. Adeyemo, B. Tayo, and R. Cooper Positive association between resting energy expenditure and weight gain in a lean adult population Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2006; 83(5): 1076 - 1081. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Bochud, P. Bovet, R. C. Elston, F. Paccaud, C. Falconnet, M. Maillard, C. Shamlaye, and M. Burnier High Heritability of Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Families of East African Descent Hypertension, March 1, 2005; 45(3): 445 - 450. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Cox, N. Bouzekri, S. Martin, L. Southam, A. Hugill, M. Golamaully, R. Cooper, A. Adeyemo, F. Soubrier, R. Ward, et al. Angiotensin-1-converting enzyme (ACE) plasma concentration is influenced by multiple ACE-linked quantitative trait nucleotides Hum. Mol. Genet., November 1, 2002; 11(23): 2969 - 2977. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. S. Cooper, A. Luke, X. Zhu, D. Kan, A. Adeyemo, C. Rorimi, N. Bouzekri, and R. Ward Genome Scan Among Nigerians Linking Blood Pressure to Chromosomes 2, 3, and 19 Hypertension, November 1, 2002; 40(5): 629 - 633. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]