Familial clustering of risk factors for cardiovascular disease among first-degree relatives of patients with chronic kidney disease in a sub-Saharan African population

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in first-degree relatives (FDRs) of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a sub-Saharan African population. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey of 460 subjects (230 FDRs of patients with CKD and 230 healthy controls). Anthropometrics and blood pressures were measured. Spot urine and fasting venous blood samples were obtained for biochemical analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity and dyslipidaemia were significantly higher in FDRs of patients with CKD compared with the controls: 56 (24.3%) vs 29 (12.6%), p = 0.01; 20 (8.7%) vs 6 (2.6%), p = 0.01; 40 (17.4%) vs 24 (10.4%), p = 0.03 and 171 (74.3%) vs 138 (60.0%), p = 0.01, respectively. Hypertension (OR, 1.65), dyslipidaemia (OR, 1.72) and albuminuria (OR, 1.61) were independently associated with being a FDR of patients with CKD. CONCLUSION: In this sub-Saharan African population, risk factors for CVD were more prevalent in the FDRs of patients with CKD than in healthy controls.