Pereira T et al recently published results from the ELSA-Brazil longitudinal health study, investigating the effect of urinary sodium-to-potassium (Na/K) ratio on blood pressure (BP). 14,014 participants completed baseline measurements and, four years later, follow-up measurements.
Overnight (12-hour) urine samples were collected and validated equations were used to translate these measures into 24-hour sodium and potassium intake. Na/K decreased between baseline and follow-up due to increases in potassium intake and no change in sodium intake.
Authors investigated the effect of Na/K on BP by quintiles, finding increases in systolic BP in women from the third Na/K quintile and higher, and for men from the fourth quintile. Conversely, increases in diastolic BP were witnessed from the third Na/K quintile for both sexes.