Association between serum Klotho concentration and hypertension in postmenopausal women, a cross-sectional study from NHANES 2013–2016

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to examine the correlation between serum Klotho protein concentration and postmenopausal hypertension. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used, in which 1713 postmenopausal women who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013–2016 were included. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to assess the association between serum Klotho concentration and postmenopausal hypertension. Results: A weighted analysis was executed, revealing a noteworthy hypertension prevalence rate of 53.44% among the study participants. Participants with lower quartile of serum Klotho concentration had a higher prevalence of hypertension than those in higher quartiles (Q1:62.29% vs. Q2: 48.52% vs. Q3: 47.33% vs. Q4: 55.02%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, a multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that participants with higher quartiles of serum Klotho concentration had a significantly reduced risk of postmenopausal hypertension compared to those in the lowest quartile. Subgroup analysis displayed consistent findings in those following subgroups: aged ≥ 65 years, obesity, nonsmokers, individuals without diabetes and coronary heart disease, and those with higher levels of estradiol and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Based on the results, we concluded that there is a significant association between serum Klotho concentration and postmenopausal hypertension. Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed a significant inverse association between serum Klotho concentration and hypertension among postmenopausal women. Serum Klotho concentration may serve as a valuable biomarker for risk stratification in postmenopausal women who are at risk of developing hypertension.