This study recruited 51 peasant farmers and hawkers whose modal age ranged between 25-29 years representing 52.94%. The lowest age of the participants was 22 and the highest was 35. Among them, 30 (58.82%) were males and 21 representing 41.18% were females (Table 1).
Table 1: Socio-demographic Features of Study Participants
Variable
|
Frequency
|
Percentage (%)
|
Total
|
51
|
100
|
Age
|
|
|
20-24yrs
|
6
|
11.76
|
25-29yrs
|
27
|
52.94
|
30-34yrs
|
11
|
21.57
|
35-39yrs
|
7
|
13.73
|
Sex
|
|
|
Male
|
30
|
58.82
|
Female
|
21
|
41.18
|
Table 2: Mean Seasonal Variations of Various Parameters among Study Participants
In this study, participant’s BMI and GFR were significantly higher during the wet season than in the dry season. Participant’s systolic blood pressure, creatinine, urea and potassium levels were significantly higher during the dry season than observed in the rainy season. Total body water (TBW), hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit and sodium levels were statistically similar among the participants during the two seasons (Table 2).
Table 2: Mean Seasonal Variations of Various Parameters among Study Participants
Variables
|
Rainy Season
(Mean ± SD)
|
Dry Season
(Mean ± SD)
|
P-Value
|
Body Mass Index (kgm-2)
|
25.14±2.56
|
24.59±2.69
|
<0.0001
|
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)
|
120±8.60
|
121.88±7.90
|
0.0194
|
Total Body Water
|
42.65±4.86
|
41.86±4.73
|
0.4097
|
Hemoglobin (g/dL)
|
13.49±1.68
|
13.52±1.68
|
0.7161
|
Hematocrit
|
41.14±5.10
|
41.14±5.10
|
0.7611
|
Creatinine (umol/L)
|
69.78±19.99
|
90.51±19.20
|
<0.0001
|
Urea (mmol/L)
|
3.56±1.22
|
4.00±1.08
|
0.0126
|
Sodium (mmol/L)
|
138.98±2.17
|
139±1.85
|
0.1193
|
Potassium (mmol/L)
|
3.79±0.25
|
3.85±0.23
|
0.0479
|
GFR (ml/min/1.73m2 BW)
|
132.94±21.40
|
105.67±18.48
|
<0.0001
|
GFR= Glomerular Filtration Rate; BW=Body Weight; P-value less than 0.05 is considered statistically significant
Table 3: Mean seasonal measurement of various study parameters stratified by gender
Findings revealed a significantly higher BMI among both males and females during the season of rains as against the dry season. Similarly, GFR among both males and females during the rainy season was significantly high per findings of this study. Conversely, significantly elevated creatinine levels among both males and females during the dry season were observed in this study. Differences in blood pressure and urea levels among males were significantly higher during the dry season than in the rainy season but however statistically comparable among the females. Potassium levels among both males and females during the two seasons were statistically similar per findings from this study (Table 3).
Table 3: Mean seasonal measurement of various study parameters stratified by gender
Variables
|
Rainy Season
(Mean ± SD)
|
Dry Season
(Mean ± SD)
|
P-Value
|
Body Mass Index
|
|
|
|
Male
|
24.69±2.13
|
23.99±2.21
|
<0.0001
|
Female
|
25.79±2.99
|
25.45±3.11
|
0.0302
|
Systolic blood pressure
|
|
|
|
Male
|
121.27±7.89
|
123±7.02
|
0.0205
|
Female
|
118.19±9.43
|
119.19±8.46
|
0.4187
|
Creatinine
|
|
|
|
Male
|
80.13±17.18
|
103.57±11.66
|
<0.0001
|
Female
|
55±13.44
|
71±10.18
|
<0.0001
|
Urea
|
|
|
|
Male
|
4.05±1.05
|
4.56±0.97
|
0.0302
|
Female
|
2.87±1.12
|
3.22±0.66
|
0.2121
|
Potassium
|
|
|
|
Male
|
3.87±0.18
|
3.92±0.18
|
0.1273
|
Female
|
3.68±0.29
|
3.75±0.27
|
0.2107
|
GFR
|
|
|
|
Male
|
128±22.13
|
98.40±15.85
|
<0.0001
|
Female
|
140±18.59
|
116.05±17.24
|
<0.0001
|
GFR= Glomerular Filtration Rate; P-value less than 0.05 is considered statistically significant
Table 4: Age-Based Seasonal Variation among the Study Participants
With the exception of participants within the age category of 35-39 years, significantly higher BMI was recorded among participants aged 20-24, 25-29 and 30-34 years during the rainy season than that observed during the dry season. Significantly elevated GFR was recorded among all age groups considered in this study in the rainy season as against the dry season. Participant’s creatinine levels compared to the rainy season was significantly higher among all age groups during the dry season. Systolic blood pressure as well urea levels were significantly higher among individuals aged 25-29 years during the dry season than were during the rainy season. Individuals aged 35-39 years also demonstrated significantly elevated urea concentration as during the dry season than were in the wet season. Potassium levels were statistically comparable among all the age categories during both seasons (Table 4).
Table 4: Age-Based Seasonal Variation among the Study Participants
Variables
|
Rainy Season
(Mean ± SD)
|
Dry Season
(Mean ± SD)
|
P-Value
|
Body Mass Index
|
|
|
|
20-24yrs
|
23.23±3.20
|
22.38±3.03
|
0.0134
|
25-29yrs
|
24.75±1.91
|
24.20±1.98
|
0.0002
|
30-34yrs
|
26.24±2.92
|
25.69±3.04
|
0.0029
|
35-39yrs
|
26.57±2.60
|
26.27±.3.03
|
0.2973
|
Systolic blood pressure
|
|
|
|
20-24yrs
|
117.5±11.59
|
123±11.24
|
0.1788
|
25-29yrs
|
121.67±6.65
|
123.56±5.66
|
0.0361
|
30-34yrs
|
119±12.11
|
119.64±11.56
|
0.7627
|
35-39yrs
|
117.29±6.24
|
118.00±3.55
|
0.6556
|
Creatinine
|
|
|
|
20-24yrs
|
72.5±32.47
|
105.17±15.48
|
0.0185
|
25-29yrs
|
78.56±14.75
|
99.30±15.28
|
<0.0001
|
30-34yrs
|
56.91±17.68
|
72.09±11.64
|
0.0045
|
35-39yrs
|
53.86±5.76
|
73.00±9.71
|
<0.0001
|
Urea
|
|
|
|
20-24yrs
|
5.33±1.07
|
4.83±0.98
|
0.3404
|
25-29yrs
|
3.48±1.04
|
4.30±1.08
|
0.0005
|
30-34yrs
|
3.31±1.15
|
3.16±0.74
|
0.7623
|
35-39yrs
|
2.76±0.74
|
3.48±0.50
|
0.0021
|
Potassium
|
|
|
|
20-24yrs
|
3.95±0.15
|
4.05±0.08
|
0.1106
|
25-29yrs
|
3.79±0.26
|
3.85±0.21
|
0.1578
|
30-34yrs
|
3.71±0.27
|
3.80±0.27
|
0.1669
|
35-39yrs
|
3.76±0.24
|
3.77±0.29
|
0.9258
|
GFR
|
|
|
|
20-24yrs
|
148.17±8.04
|
119.17±13.91
|
0.0013
|
25-29yrs
|
133±21.33
|
108.04±18.81
|
<0.0001
|
30-34yrs
|
119.46±19.60
|
94.91±15.98
|
0.0043
|
35-39yrs
|
140.86±22.63
|
101.86±17.02
|
0.0034
|
GFR= Glomerular Filtration Rate; P-value less than 0.05 is considered statistically significant
Figure 1: Participant’s BMI Stratified by the Two Seasons.
Figure 1 shows BMI of participants by the two seasons. The BMI was categorized into normal (18.5-24.9), overweight (25.0-29.9) and obese (≥30). The number of participants with normal BMI rose from 49.02% in the rainy season to 62.75% during the dry reason. The contrary which saw more overweight (43.14%) participants in the rainy season as compared to the dry season (29.41%) was observed. The obese category for the two seasons was fairly the same.
Figure 2: Participant’s Blood Pressure Distribution Stratified by the Two Seasons
Figure 2 shows the blood pressure distribution for the study participants over the two major seasons (rainy and dry season). In this study, normal blood pressure status was observed among 37.25% (19/51) of the participants in the rainy season more than 29.41% (15/51) of the participants in the dry season. About fifty-five percent (54.90%) of the participants were pre-hypertensive both in the rainy and dry seasons. Meanwhile, stage 1 hypertension was preponderant in the dry season (15.69%) than that observed in the rainy season (7.84%).