Undiagnosed Hypertension and Proteinuria in a Market Population in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Introduction: Hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are common in our urban and rural communities but the majority of affected individuals are not aware of their condition. We conducted free medical examination and screening during one of the market days in Odo-Ogbe market, Ile-Ife, Nigeria to evaluate the magnitude of undiagnosed hypertension and proteinuria. Methods: Participants were taken through a brief medical history and had their socio-demographic data taken. Weight and height were measured and body mass index (BMI) calculated. Blood pressure (BP) was measured using a mercury sphygmomanometer and urinalysis was done with the aid of dipstick test. Results: A total of 286 participants aged 13-90 years (Mean 49.5 ± 15.7 years) were screened. Females constituted 90.2% of the study population. One-hundred and eight (37.7%) of participants had hypertension and only 20 (6.7%) were previously diagnosed. Sixty-nine participants (24.1%) had stage-1 hypertension while 39 (13.6%) had stage-2 hypertension. Fifty-nine percent of participants had BMI above 25 kg/m2. Eighty five participants (29.7%) had proteinuria while only 13 (4.5%) had glycosuria. A significantly higher percentage of participants with stage-1 and stage-2 hypertension had proteinuria compared with non hypertensives. There was a positive correlation between age and BMI (r = 0.171, P = 0.004), age and systolic BP (r = 0.378, P < 0.0001) as well as age and diastolic BP (r = 0.197, P = 0.001). Conclusion: A high percentage of the studied population (31%) had undiagnosed hypertension and proteinuria (29.7%). Community screening for these disabling non communicable diseases and lifestyle modifications should be encouraged.