The relationship of longitudinal screening of blood pressure in school-aged children in Sardinia with excessive weight

Primary and secondary paediatric hypertension

High blood pressure (BP) or hypertension is a well known risk factor for developing heart attack, stroke, atrial fibrillation and renal failure. Although in the past hypertension was supposed to develop at middle age, it is now widely recognized that it begins early during childhood. As such, approximately 5-10% of children and adolescents are hypertensive. Unlike that previously reported, it is now widely accepted that primary hypertension is the most diffuse form of high BP encountered even in paediatric age, while secondary hypertension accounts just for a minority of the cases. There are significant differences between that outlined by the European Society of Hypertension (ESH), the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), and the last statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) concerning the BP cut-offs to identify young hypertensive individuals. Not only that, but the AAP have also excluded obese children in the new normative data. This is undoubtedly a matter of concern. Conversely, both the AAP and ESH/ESC agree that medical therapy should be reserved just for nonresponders to measures like weight loss/salt intake reduction/increase in aerobic exercise. Secondary hypertension often occurs in aortic coarctation or chronic renal disease patients. The former can develop hypertension despite early effective repair. This is associated with significant morbidity and is arguably the most important adverse outcome in about 30% of these subjects. Also, syndromic patients, for example those with Williams syndrome, may suffer from a generalized aortopathy, which triggers increased arterial stiffness and hypertension. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art situation regarding primary and secondary paediatric hypertension.

Anthropometric predictors of systolic and diastolic blood pressure considering intersexual differences in a group of selected schoolchildren

OBJECTIVES

Although the association between anthropometric parameters and blood pressure has been established for adults, the relationship for children has not been thoroughly studied in Slovakia. Present study investigates the association between anthropometric parameters and systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the group of randomly selected schoolchildren.

METHODS

Examinations were conducted as a cross-sectional study with 760 schoolchildren from Eastern Slovakia, 381 boys and 379 girls. The blood pressure evaluation included sphygmomanometer technique (seated, 3 times repeated) measurement of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP; DBP). Anthropometric measurements included: body weight, height, circumference of waist, hip and chest, BMI, WHR (waist-hip ratio), fat skinfolds measurement, triceps skinfold, and derivation of body fat percentage. The parents' questionnaires incorporated basic demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the family, reported BMI of father and mother, and child's birth-weight and birth-length. Statistical analysis included Student's t-test gender differences in measured parameters, partial Pearson's correlations and linear regression model of the impact of body parameters Z-scores on SBP and DPB.

RESULTS

Statistical analysis confirmed gender difference in basic anthropometric parameters. Pearson's correlations revealed highly significant relationship of anthropometric indices to SBP compared to DBP. Correlations of anthropometric parameters with SBP and DPB were more significant for boys compared to girls. Linear regression analysis showed that the highest impact on SBP and DBP had Z-score of BMI, followed by weight and height. Z-score of body weight has statistical impact on SBP and DBP in all group and group of boys (p < 0.001), lower significance was in DBP of girls (p < 0.01). Similar results were obtained for Z-score of height and BMI for SBP and DBP in both total group and group of boys on level p < 0.001. Z-score for BMI and height in DBP has lower statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Linear regression model confirmed higher statistical relationship of SBP and DBP in the group of boys compared to the group of girls. SBP correlations and linear regression model of anthropometric parameters revealed more significant outputs compared to DPB. The results confirmed the fact that we have to consider anthropometric indices in paediatric blood pressure evaluation.

Pediatric hypertension: An update on a burning problem

A large number of adults worldwide suffer from essential hypertension, and because blood pressures (BPs) tend to remain within the same percentiles throughout life, it has been postulated that hypertensive pressures can be tracked from childhood to adulthood. Thus, children with higher BPs are more likely to become hypertensive adults. These “pre-hypertensive” subjects can be identified by measuring arterial BP at a young age, and compared with age, gender and height-specific references. The majority of studies report that 1 to 5% of children and adolescents are hypertensive, defined as a BP > 95^th percentile, with higher prevalence rates reported for some isolated geographic areas. However, the actual prevalence of hypertension in children and adolescents remains to be fully elucidated. In addition to these young “pre-hypertensive” subjects, there are also children and adolescents with a normal-high BP (90^th-95^th percentile). Early intervention may help prevent the development of essential hypertension as they age. An initial attempt should be made to lower their BP by non-pharmacologic measures, such as weight reduction, aerobic physical exercise, and lowered sodium intake. A pharmacological treatment is usually needed should these measures fail to lower BP. The majority of antihypertensive drugs are not formulated for pediatric patients, and have thus not been investigated in great detail. The purpose of this review is to provide an update concerning juvenile hypertension, and highlight recent developments in epidemiology, diagnostic methods, and relevant therapies.