Haptoglobin Phenotypes and Hypertension in Indigenous Zambians at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the association between presence of haptoglobin  phenotypes and hypertension in indigenous Zambian patients attending outpatient medical clinic at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia.
Methodology: The study was a descriptive, noninterventional, analytical, cross-sectional study  involving haptoglobin quantification and phenotyping of hypertensive and normotensive subjects. The clinical characteristics and serum parameters of the study population were recorded and the haptoglobin
phenotypes were determined.
Results: The average prevalence of the Hp polymorphisms was found to be Hp 1-1 (58%), Hp 2-1 (14%) and Hp 2-2 (28%). In the hypertensive group 31 (62%) had Hp1-1 phenotype compared to 27 (54%) of the normotensives. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with regard to the occurrence of the Hp 1-1 phenotype in the studied groups and it relation to hypertension.
Conclusion: The study showed that there is no association between haptoglobin phenotype and hypertension.