Primordial Prevention of High Blood Pressure in Childhood: An Opportunity Not to be Missed

Predicting Childhood and Adolescence Hypertension: Analysis of Predictors Using Machine Learning

BACKGROUND

There has been a substantial burden of hypertension in children and adolescents. Given the availability of primary prevention strategies, it is important to determine predictors for early identification of children and adolescents at risk of hypertension. This study aims to attempt and validate machine learning (ML) algorithms for accurately predicting blood pressure (BP) status (normal, prehypertension, and hypertension) over 1- and 3-year periods, identifying key predictors without compromising model performance.

METHODS

We included a population-based cohort of primary 1 to secondary 6 students (typically aged 6 to 18 years) during the academic years of 1995 to 1996 and 2019 to 2020 in Hong Kong. Thirty-six easy-assessed predictors were initially model childhood BP status. Multiple ML algorithms, decision tree, random forest, k-nearest neighbor, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and multinomial logistic regression (MLR), were used. Model evaluation was performed by various accuracy metrics. The Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) was used to identify key features for both predictions.

RESULTS

A total of 923 301 and 602 179 visit pairs were used for the 1- and 3-year predictions, respectively. XGBoost demonstrated the highest prediction accuracies for 1-year (macro-area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUROC] = 0.92, micro-AUROC = 0.91) and 3-year (macro-AUROC = 0.91, micro-AUROC = 0.90) periods. The traditional MLR approach had the lowest accuracies for 1- (macro-AUROC = 0.70, micro-AUROC = 0.68) and 3-year (macro-AUROC = 0.70, micro-AUROC = 0.68) predictions. The SHAP values identified 17 key predictors without the need for direct BP measurements or laboratory tests.

CONCLUSION

ML prediction models can accurately predict childhood prehypertension and hypertension at 1 and 3 years, independent of BP and laboratory measurements. The identified key predictors may inform areas for personalized prevention in hypertension.

Lean Mass Longitudinally Confounds Sedentary Time and Physical Activity With Blood Pressure Progression in 2513 Children

BACKGROUND

Randomized controlled trials have reported no effect of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on reducing blood pressure (BP) in youth, probably due to short trial durations. This study examined the longitudinal effect of sedentary time (ST), light PA (LPA) and MVPA on BP in 11-year-old children followed up for 13 years to determine the confounding and mediating role of body composition.

METHODS

Data included 2513 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), UK birth cohort who had data on at least one time-point measure of accelerometer-based movement behaviour across the follow-up and complete BP measures at ages 11, 15 and 24 years. Body composition was assessed with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at all time points. Multivariate adjusted generalized linear mixed-effect model and structural equation causal mediation model analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

Among 2513 participants (61% female, mean [SD] age 11.72 [0.21] years), ST steadily increased from ~6 h/day in childhood (age 11 years) to ~9 h/day in young adulthood (age 24 years), whereas LPA and MVPA decreased, but BP had an inverted U-shaped increase. In the longitudinal analysis, after full adjustment, a 1-min cumulative ST from ages 11 to 24 years was positively associated with increased systolic BP (0.009 mmHg [95% CI 0.007-0.011]; p < 0.001) and diastolic BP. A 1-min cumulative LPA was inversely associated with systolic BP (-0.007 mmHg [-0.009 to -0.004]; p < 0.001), but not diastolic BP. In isotemporal substitution analyses, longitudinal replacement of 10 min of ST with equal time in LPA during childhood, adolescence and young adulthood cumulatively decreased systolic BP by -2.63 mmHg [95% CI -3.17 to -2.08] (p < 0.0001) and diastolic BP by -1.93 mmHg [95% CI -2.36 to -1.50] (p < 0.0001). Replacing 10 min of ST with 10 min of MVPA had no statistically significant effect due to an absolute confounding effect of lean mass. The association of ST with systolic BP was fully mediated by increased lean mass (93% mediation). Increased total fat mass partially mediated (19%-27%) the inverse associations of cumulative MVPA with cumulative systolic and diastolic BP.

CONCLUSIONS

Theoretically replacing 10 min/day spent sedentary with 10 min/day of LPA during growth from childhood through young adulthood may lower systolic BP by -3 mmHg and diastolic BP by -2 mmHg. Lean mass seems more significant than fat mass in the relations of ST and PA with BP and should be accounted for in future intervention studies in the paediatric and young adult population.

Top five considerations for improving outcomes in black patients with heart failure: A guide for primary care clinicians

Black patients develop heart failure at younger ages and have worse outcomes such as higher mortality rates compared to other racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Despite significant recent improvements in heart failure medical therapy, these worse outcomes have persisted. Multiple reasons have been provided to explain the situation, including but not limited to higher baseline cluster of cardiovascular risk factors amongst Black patients, inadequate use of heart failure guideline directed medical therapy and delayed referral for advanced heart failure therapies and interventions. Strategic interventions considering social and structural determinants of health, addressing structural inequalities/ bias, implementation of quality improvement programs, early diagnosis and prevention are critically needed to bridge the racial/ ethnic disparities gap and improve longevity of Black patients with heart failure. In this review, we propose evidence-based solutions that provide a framework for the primary care physician addressing these challenges to engender equity in treatment allocation and improve outcomes for all patients with heart failure.

Cardiovascular Health Starts in the Womb

Hypertension has largely been viewed as a disorder of adulthood. Historically, blood pressure (BP) was not routinely measured in children because hypertension was considered uncommon in childhood. It was not until the 1970s that it was apparent that in childhood BP levels were normally lower compared with those in adults, were related to age and growth, and that abnormal BP in children needed different definitions. Based on the distribution of BP levels in available child cohorts, the 95th percentile of BP levels became the definition of hypertension in children and adolescents-an epidemiological definition. Subsequent clinical and epidemiological research identified associated risk factors in childhood that linked abnormal BP in youth with hypertension in adulthood. In the 1980s, the Barker hypothesis, based on observations that low birth weight could be linked to cardiovascular disease in adulthood, promoted further research spanning epidemiological, clinical, and basic science on the childhood origins of hypertension. This review focuses on recent findings from both longitudinal maternal-child cohorts and experimental models that examine both maternal and offspring conditions associated with risks of subsequent cardiovascular disease.

Joint Trajectories of Lifestyle Indicators and Their Associations with Blood Pressure among Chinese Middle School Students

Lifestyle behaviors, defined as a combination of dietary behavior, physical activity (PA), screen time (ST), and sleep duration indicators, are strongly associated with blood pressure (BP) in students. Our aim was to characterize the joint trajectories of lifestyle behaviors among middle school students and evaluate their association with BP. Data were obtained from the monitoring dataset on common diseases and health factors among students in Jiading District, Shanghai, China, conducted from 2019 to 2023. Lifestyle behavior data were collected annually from middle school students aged 12-18 years through questionnaires covering dietary behavior score, PA, ST, and sleep duration. Students' BP was measured in 2023. Joint trajectories of lifestyle behaviors were determined using group-based multi-trajectory modeling. Associations between lifestyle trajectories and students' BP were examined using multiple linear regression and modified Poisson regression. A total of 1378 middle school students (759 [58.98%] boys, median age 14.36 years [IQR: 13·30-13.28]) with lifestyle behaviors data assessed at least three times were included, and they were categorized into four joint lifestyle trajectories as follows: "remain unhealthy with low PA and increasing ST" (n = 141, 10.46%), "remain unhealthy with only low PA" (n = 305, 22.63%), "change towards unhealthy with decreasing sleep duration" (n = 776, 57.57%), and "relatively healthy" (n = 126, 9.35%). After adjusting for important confounders, the "remain unhealthy with low PA and increasing ST" group was associated with higher diastolic BP (DBP) [β: 3.49, 95% CI: 0.55-6.44] and higher mean arterial pressure (MAP) [β: 3.19, 95% CI: 0.37-6.01] in students compared with the "relatively healthy" group. Additionally, compared with the "relatively healthy" group, students in the "remain unhealthy with low PA and increasing ST" group had a 1.12-fold increase in the risk of hypertension (risk ratios: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.03-1.24). All trend p values in DBP, MAP, and hypertension from the "relatively healthy" group to the "remain unhealthy with low PA and increasing ST" group were less than 0.05. Four distinct lifestyle trajectories were identified among middle school students. Students who remained in the "unhealthy with low PA and increasing ST" lifestyle trajectory were associated with later elevations in BP.

Interplay of race and neighborhood deprivation on resting and ambulatory blood pressure in young adults

Nighttime blood pressure (BP) and BP dipping (daytime-nighttime BP) are prognostic for cardiovascular disease. When compared with other racial/ethnic groups, Black Americans exhibit elevated nighttime BP and attenuated BP dipping. Neighborhood deprivation may contribute to disparities in cardiovascular health, but its effects on resting and ambulatory BP patterns in young adults are unclear. Therefore, we examined associations between neighborhood deprivation with resting and nighttime BP and BP dipping in young Black and White adults. We recruited 19 Black and 28 White participants (23 males/24 females, 21 ± 1 yr, body mass index: 26 ± 4 kg/m2) for 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring. We assessed resting BP, nighttime BP, and BP dipping (absolute dip and nighttime:daytime BP ratio). We used the area deprivation index (ADI) to assess average neighborhood deprivation during early and mid-childhood and adolescence. When compared with White participants, Black participants exhibited higher resting systolic and diastolic BP (Ps ≤ 0.029), nighttime systolic BP (114 ± 9 vs. 108 ± 9 mmHg, P = 0.049), diastolic BP (63 ± 8 vs. 57 ± 7 mmHg, P = 0.010), and attenuated absolute systolic BP dipping (12 ± 5 vs. 9 ± 7 mmHg, P = 0.050). Black participants experienced greater average ADI scores compared with White participants [110 (10) vs. 97 (22), P = 0.002], and select ADI scores correlated with resting BP and some ambulatory BP measures. Within each race, select ADI scores correlated with some BP measures for Black participants, but there were no ADI and BP correlations for White participants. In conclusion, our findings suggest that neighborhood deprivation may contribute to higher resting BP and impaired ambulatory BP patterns in young adults warranting further investigation in larger cohorts.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We demonstrate that young Black adults exhibit higher resting blood pressure, nighttime blood pressure, and attenuated systolic blood pressure dipping compared with young White adults. Black adults were exposed to greater neighborhood deprivation, which demonstrated some associations with resting and ambulatory blood pressure. Our findings add to a growing body of literature indicating that neighborhood deprivation may contribute to increased blood pressure.

Association of Cardiovascular Health in Young Adulthood With Long-Term Blood Pressure Trajectories

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular health (CVH) in young adulthood (YA) has been associated with cardiovascular outcomes in older age. However, little is known about the relationship between YA CVH and mid-life blood pressure (BP) trajectories.

METHODS

Baseline CVH (defined by 7 of the American Heart Association's [AHA] Life's Essential 8 [LE8] metrics, excluding BP) was measured in YA with individual metrics scored and averaged as a composite LE8 score. Categorical CVH status was defined as high, moderate, and low. Latent class analysis was used to identify trajectories of mid-BP (mean of systolic blood pressure [SBP] and diastolic blood pressure [DBP]) from average ages 35 to 55 years. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the association of YA CVH status (continuously and categorically) with mid-life BP trajectory group membership.

RESULTS

There were 3,688 participants from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study in YA with follow-up data for mid-life BP trajectories. We observed 3 BP trajectory groups, labeled as Persistently-Low, Middle, and High-Increasing. On average, each 10-points higher baseline LE8 score (mean [SD] of 73.5 [13.1]) in YA was associated with adjusted odds ratios of 0.78 (95% CI, 0.72-0.84) for membership in the Middle and 0.65 (0.57-0.73) for membership in the High-Increasing trajectory groups. Compared with categorical low CVH status at baseline, those with high CVH were significantly less likely to be in the Middle and High-Increasing BP trajectory groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Moderate or low CVH status in YA is associated with elevated mid-life BP trajectory. These data suggest that young adult CVH promotion may be important for the primordial prevention of hypertension.

Polygenic risk scores associate with blood pressure traits across the lifespan

AIMS

Hypertension is a major modifiable cause of morbidity and mortality that affects over 1 billion people worldwide. Blood pressure (BP) traits have a strong genetic component that can be quantified with polygenic risk scores (PRSs). To date, the performance of BP PRSs has mainly been assessed in adults, and less is known about polygenic hypertension risk in childhood.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Multiple PRSs for systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and pulse pressure were developed using either genome-wide significant weights, pruning and thresholding, or Bayesian regression. Among 87 total PRSs, the top performer for each trait was applied in independent cohorts of children and adult to assess genotype-phenotype associations and disease risk across the lifespan. Differences between those with low (1st decile), average (2nd-9th decile), and high (10th decile) PRS emerge in the first years of life and are maintained throughout adulthood. These diverging BP trajectories also seem to affect cardiovascular and renal disease risk, with increased risk observed among those in the top decile and reduced risk among those in the bottom decile of the polygenic risk distribution compared with the rest of the population.

CONCLUSION

Genetic risk factors are associated with BP traits across the lifespan, beginning in the first years of life. Given the importance of exposure time in disease pathogenesis and the early rise in BP levels among those genetically susceptible, PRSs may help identify high-risk individuals prior to hypertension onset, facilitate primordial prevention, and reduce the burden of this public health challenge.

Association between anxiety and elevated blood pressure in adolescent patients: a single-center cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

Although anxiety is known to be associated with elevated blood pressure and hypertension in adults, this has not been studied in children. The aim of this study was to determine the association between anxiety and elevated blood pressures in adolescents.

METHODS

Adolescents, aged 12-18 years old, referred to the nephrology clinic were eligible to participate. Elevated blood pressure was defined as either SBP or DBP measurement above the 95th percentile for age, height, and sex. Participants were evaluated for anxiety using the validated Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders questionnaire filled independently by the child (SCARED-C) and parent (SCARED-P) evaluating the child.

RESULTS

Two hundred adolescents participated in this study. Thirty-one (53%) of SCARED-P-positive participants were found to have elevated blood pressure compared with 27 (19%) of SCARED-P negative, P 0.03. Twenty-five (43%) of SCARED-P positive had elevated DBP compared with 31 (28%) of SCARED-P negative ( P 0.003). In SCARED-P positive, mean DBP (78.4 ± 9.9) was higher compared with SCARED-P negative (74.9 ± 9.2) ( P 0.03). In a subgroup of adolescents (№ 130) not treated with blood pressure medications mean DBP was higher in both SCARED-P (79.0 ± 10.1) and SCARED-C (77.1 ± 10.4) positive groups compared with SCARED-P (73.6 ± 9.3) and SCARED-C (73 ± 8.9) negative, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates an association between anxiety and elevated DBP in adolescent children. Screening adolescents for anxiety should be a part of the routine evaluation of adolescent children.

Transgender Incarceration and Law Enforcement as a Source of Harm: Upstream and Primordial Prevention Perspectives

In the United States (US), transgender individuals are more likely to experience violence and sexual assault in jails and prisons compared with cisgender peers. Harms of incarceration on transgender individuals include limited access to medical care and hormone therapy, as well as being housed in facilities based on biological sex instead of gender identity. However, there has been insufficient research on addressing factors that lead to transgender individuals being incarcerated in the first place. In this article, we argue the need to focus on law enforcement interactions with transgender individuals in the US to reduce incarceration-related harms. Using the perspectives of primordial prevention and focusing on upstream factors that create health-related harms, we assert that focusing on law enforcement is a necessary component in addressing how the criminal justice system harms transgender individuals.

Prevalence of and Factors Associated With High Blood Pressure at 15 Years of Age: A Birth Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Arterial hypertension is the greatest cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of and factors associated with high blood pressure (HBP) among adolescents.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The Pelotas 2004 Birth Cohort included 4231 newborns from hospital births in Pelotas, Brazil. A digital automatic OMRON sphygmomanometer (model HEM 742) was used to measure blood pressure on 3 occasions (at 6, 11, and 15 years of age). Those with blood pressure ≥95th percentile for age, height, and sex on each of the 3 occasions were considered as presenting HBP. Independent variables included family (income and history of arterial hypertension), maternal (schooling, age, pregestational body mass index, and smoking during pregnancy), and adolescent characteristics at birth (sex, skin color, gestational age, intrauterine growth, and systolic and diastolic genetic factors), and at 15 years (sleep, physical activity, sodium intake, screen time, work, body mass index, fat mass index, fat-free mass index, growth pattern, and puberty status). The prevalence of HBP (95% CI) was calculated. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) stratified by sex were obtained by logistic regression. A total of 1417 adolescents with complete information on blood pressure on the 3 occasions were analyzed. The prevalence of HBP was 3.2% (95% CI, 1.9%-4.5%) in female adolescents and 4.3% (95% CI, 2.8%-5.8%) in male adolescents. Female adolescents with a family history of arterial hypertension had a 3 times higher chance of HBP than their counterparts (OR, 3.1 [95% CI, 1.26-7.54]). In male adolescents, excessive maternal pregestational weight was associated with a 2.3-fold increase in the chance of HBP. In both sexes, excessive adolescent weight was associated with HBP (ORs, 3.5 and 5.0, for female and male adolescents, respectively). A higher fat mass index and fat-free mass index in female (ORs, 1.4 and 1.2, respectively) and male adolescents (ORs, 2.5 and 3.0, respectively) increased the chance of HBP. Among male adolescents, the chance of HBP was higher among those with rapid weight gain between 48 months and 6 years and between 6 and 11 years and rapid height gain between 6 and 11 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher fat mass in both sexes and rapid weight gain in male adolescents are risk factors for HBP in adolescents aged 15 years, potentially amenable to prevention.

Clinical characteristics of pediatric hypertension: a multicenter study in China

OBJECTIVES

Hypertension in children has attracted increasing attention. However, clinical-based studies investigating characteristics and secular trends of pediatric hypertension remain limited. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and secular trends of different types of hypertension among hospitalized children in China.

METHODS

This retrospective analysis was based on medical records from nine tertiary children's hospitals in China during 2010∼2020. A total of 5847 pediatric inpatients (aged <18 years) with the diagnosis of hypertension were enrolled. Information on the clinical characteristics of each patient was obtained from their first admission records.

RESULTS

During the past decade, secondary hypertension sustained to be the dominant type of hypertension in children, with the proportion increased from 51.2% during 2010∼2015 to 59.8% during 2016∼2020. The main causes of secondary hypertension were neurologic disorders in children aged 0∼2 years, which changed to renal diseases after 3 years of age. Compared with primary hypertension, secondary hypertension was common in girls (43.1 vs. 23.3%) and children under 5 years of age (32.2 vs. 2.1%). Moreover, over four-fifths of primary hypertensive individuals had obesity and obesity-related comorbidities, and the proportion of clusters of one or more comorbidities increased in the past decade (79.7 → 85.2%).

CONCLUSION

Secondary hypertension sustained to be the dominant type of hypertension among children, especially in girls. Renal diseases were the most common causes of secondary hypertension in children, followed by rheumatic immune diseases. For primary hypertension, over four-fifths of inpatients had obesity and obesity-related diseases, and the proportion kept rising.

Cross-sectional analysis of racial differences in hydration and neighborhood deprivation in young adults

BACKGROUND

Inadequate hydration is associated with cardiovascular and kidney disease morbidity and all-cause mortality. Compared with White individuals, Black individuals exhibit a higher prevalence of inadequate hydration, which may contribute to racial health disparities. However, the underlying reasons for these differences in hydration remain unclear.

OBJECTIVE

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate whether neighborhood deprivation contributes to racial differences in hydration status.

METHODS

We assessed 24 Black and 30 White college students, measuring 24-hour urine osmolality, urine flow rate, urine specific gravity, and plasma copeptin concentration. Participants recorded their food and fluid intake for 3 d to assess total water intake from food and beverages. Neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation was measured using a tract-level Area Deprivation Index.

RESULTS

Black participants exhibited higher urine osmolality (640 [314] compared with 440 [283] mOsm/kg H2O, respectively, P = 0.006) and lower urine flow rate (1.06 [0.65] compared with 1.71 [0.89] ml/min, respectively, P = 0.009) compared with White participants, indicating greater hypohydration among Black participants. Black participants reported lower total water intake from food and beverages than White participants (2.3 ± 0.7 compared with 3.5 ± 1.1 L/day, respectively, P < 0.01). Black participants exhibited higher copeptin than White participants (6.3 [3.1] compared with 4.5 [2.3] pmol/L, P = 0.046), and urine osmolality mediated 67% of the difference (P = 0.027). Black participants reported greater cumulative exposure to neighborhood deprivation during childhood (ages 0-18 y). Furthermore, neighborhood deprivation during childhood was associated with urine specific gravity (P = 0.031) and total water intake from food and beverages (P = 0.042) but did not mediate the racial differences in these measures.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that compared with White young adults, Black young adults are hypohydrated and exhibit higher plasma copeptin concentration, and that greater neighborhood deprivation is associated with chronic underhydration irrespective of race. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04576338.

Interplay of Race and Neighborhood Deprivation on Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Young Adults

Background

Ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring measures nighttime BP and BP dipping, which are superior to in-clinic BP for predicting cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in America. Compared with other racial/ethnic groups, Black Americans exhibit elevated nighttime BP and attenuated BP dipping, including in young adulthood. Social determinants of health contribute to disparities in CVD risk, but the contribution of neighborhood deprivation on nighttime BP is unclear. Therefore, we examined associations between neighborhood deprivation with nighttime BP and BP dipping in young Black and White adults.

Methods

We recruited 21 Black and 26 White participants (20 M/27 F, mean age: 21 years, body mass index: 25±4 kg/m2) for 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring. We assessed nighttime BP and BP dipping (nighttime:daytime BP ratio). The area deprivation index (ADI) was used to measure neighborhood deprivation. Associations between ADI and ambulatory BP were examined.

Results

Black participants exhibited higher nighttime diastolic BP compared with White participants (63±8 mmHg vs 58±7 mmHg, p=0.003), and attenuated BP dipping ratios for both systolic (0.92±0.06 vs 0.86±0.05, p=0.001) and diastolic BP (0.86±0.09 vs 0.78±0.08, p=0.007). Black participants experienced greater neighborhood deprivation compared with White participants (ADI scores: 110±8 vs 97±21, p<0.001), and ADI was associated with attenuated systolic BP dipping (ρ=0.342, p=0.019).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest neighborhood deprivation may contribute to higher nighttime BP and attenuated BP dipping, which are prognostic of CVD, and more prevalent in Black adults. Targeted interventions to mitigate the effects of neighborhood deprivation may help to improve nighttime BP.

Clinical Trial Registry

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT04576338.

Cardiovascular Disease in Women: An Update for Nurses

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women but is often underrecognized and undertreated. Women are more likely to experience delay in treatment and worse outcomes, even though they experience similar symptoms as men. Women are more likely to experience ischemia related to microvascular dysfunction, which is not readily diagnosed by commonly used diagnostic tests. Nurses are ideally positioned to be patient advocates and use evidence-based guidelines to encourage primary prevention and ensure prompt treatment. This paper provides an update on CVD in women for clinical nurses based on the latest research evidence.

Acute beetroot juice reduces blood pressure in young Black and White males but not females

A complex interplay of social, lifestyle, and physiological factors contribute to Black Americans having the highest blood pressure (BP) in America. One potential contributor to Black adult's higher BP may be reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. Therefore, we sought to determine whether augmenting NO bioavailability with acute beetroot juice (BRJ) supplementation would reduce resting BP and cardiovascular reactivity in Black and White adults, but to a greater extent in Black adults. A total of 18 Black and 20 White (∼equal split by biological sex) young adults completed this randomized, placebo-controlled (nitrate (NO3-)-depleted BRJ), crossover design study. We measured heart rate, brachial and central BP, and arterial stiffness (via pulse wave velocity) at rest, during handgrip exercise, and during post-exercise circulatory occlusion. Compared with White adults, Black adults exhibited higher pre-supplementation resting brachial and central BP (Ps ≤0.035; e.g., brachial systolic BP: 116(11) vs. 121(7) mmHg, P = 0.023). Compared with placebo, BRJ (∼12.8 mmol NO3-) reduced resting brachial systolic BP similarly in Black (Δ-4±10 mmHg) and White (Δ-4±7 mmHg) adults (P = 0.029). However, BRJ supplementation reduced BP in males (Ps ≤ 0.020) but not females (Ps ≥ 0.299). Irrespective of race or sex, increases in plasma NO3- were associated with reduced brachial systolic BP (ρ = -0.237, P = 0.042). No other treatment effects were observed for BP or arterial stiffness at rest or during physical stress (i.e., reactivity); Ps ≥ 0.075. Despite young Black adults having higher resting BP, acute BRJ supplementation reduced systolic BP in young Black and White adults by a similar magnitude, an effect that was driven by males.

Higher Maternal Cortisol Associated With Lower Blood Pressure in Offspring From 3 Months to 5 Years of Age in the Odense Child Cohort

BACKGROUND

Synthetic glucocorticoid exposure in late pregnancy may be associated with higher blood pressure in offspring. We hypothesized that endogenous cortisol in pregnancy relates to offspring blood pressure (OBP).

OBJECTIVE

To investigate associations between maternal cortisol status in third trimester pregnancy and OBP.

METHODS

We included 1317 mother-child pairs from Odense Child Cohort, an observational prospective cohort. Serum (s-) cortisol and 24-hour urine (u-) cortisol and cortisone were assessed in gestational week 28. Offspring systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were measured at age 3, 18 months, and 3 and 5 years. Associations between maternal cortisol and OBP were examined by mixed effects linear models.

RESULTS

All significant associations between maternal cortisol and OBP were negative. In boys in pooled analyses, 1 nmol/L increase in maternal s-cortisol was associated with average decrease in systolic blood pressure (β=-0.003 mmHg [95% CI, -0.005 to -0.0003]) and diastolic blood pressure (β=-0.002 mmHg [95% CI, -0.004 to -0.0004]) after adjusting for confounders. At 3 months of age, higher maternal s-cortisol was significantly associated with lower systolic blood pressure (β=-0.01 mmHg [95% CI, -0.01 to -0.004]) and diastolic blood pressure (β=-0.010 mmHg [95% CI, -0.012 to -0.011]) in boys after adjusting for confounders, which remained significant after adjusting for potential intermediate factors.

CONCLUSIONS

We found temporal sex dimorphic negative associations between maternal s-cortisol levels and OBP, with significant findings in boys. We conclude that physiological maternal cortisol is not a risk factor for higher blood pressure in offspring up to 5 years of age.

Association of blood pressure and hypertension between parents and offspring: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

As the number of hypertension cases in the pediatric population is growing, we aimed to investigate the parent-offspring association of hypertension in Korea. We performed a cross-sectional analysis using the data of children and adolescents aged 10-18 years and their parents extracted from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008-2018). We analyzed the correlation of blood pressure (BP) between offspring and their parents and investigated the odds ratio (OR) of having hypertension in offspring based on parental hypertensive status. A total of 3996 children and adolescents (2224 boys and 1772 girls) aged 10-18 years and their parents (3197 fathers and 3197 mothers) were evaluated. Both boys and girls had positive associations with both parents for systolic and diastolic BP. When neither parent, only the father, only the mother, or both parents were hypertensive, 6.6%, 10.4%, 13.3%, and 25.3% of boys and 6%, 12%, 12.7%, and 22.1% of girls had hypertension, respectively. The risk of having hypertension among offspring was approximately two times higher when one parent was hypertensive and over four times higher when both parents were hypertensive compared to that among controls whose parents were not hypertensive (OR: 2.230, 1.655, and 5.021 in boys with hypertension and 2.321, 2.169, and 4.554 in girls with hypertension in the mother only, the father only, and both parents, respectively). We identified familial aggregation of hypertension in Korea. As there was an increased likelihood of having hypertension in children with parental hypertension, parental hypertension may be utilized as a screening tool for hypertension in children.

Metabolome-Wide Association Study of Cord Blood Metabolites With Blood Pressure in Childhood and Adolescence

BACKGROUND

No studies have examined whether the cord blood metabolome-a reflection of in utero metabolism-influences blood pressure (BP) in children.

OBJECTIVES

To examine prospective associations of cord blood metabolites with systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and risk of elevated BP in childhood and adolescence.

METHODS

In the Boston Birth Cohort, we measured metabolites in cord blood plasma, and SBP and DBP at clinic visits between 3 and 18 years. We examined associations of cord metabolites with SBP and DBP percentiles using linear mixed models and with elevated BP using mixed-effects Poisson regression.

RESULTS

Our study included 902 mother-child dyads (60% Black, 23% Hispanic, 45% female). Children were followed for a median of 9.2 (interquartile range, 6.7-11.7) years, and the median number of BP observations per child was 7 (interquartile range, 4-11). After false discovery rate correction, 3 metabolites were associated with SBP, 96 with DBP, and 24 with elevated BP; 2 metabolites (1-methylnicotinamide, dimethylguanidino valeric acid) were associated with all 3 outcomes, and 21 metabolites were associated with both DBP and elevated BP. After multivariable adjustment, 48 metabolites remained significantly associated with DBP. Metabolites that showed the strongest associations with SBP, DBP, and elevated BP included nucleotides (eg, xanthosine, hypoxanthine, xanthine) and acylcarnitines (eg, C6 and C7 carnitines), which represent fatty acid oxidation and purine metabolism pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

In our urban and predominantly racial/ethnic minority cohort, we provide evidence that metabolomic alterations in utero, in particular, acylcarnitine- and purine-metabolism metabolites, may be involved in the early life origins of hypertension.

Cardiovascular Risks of Hypertension: Lessons from Children with Chronic Kidney Disease

Hypertension is the most common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in children, having a strong association with subsequential cardiovascular disease (CVD). In pediatric CKD, a considerable percentage of children with hypertension are undiagnosed or undertreated. Prior research has evaluated structural and functional markers of subclinical CVD and biomarkers in adults with CKD, while ideal biomarkers in pediatrics are still insufficiently studied. The ultimate goal of this review is to summarize what is currently known about state of hypertension, cardiovascular risk factors, and potential CVD markers/biomarkers in children with pre-dialysis CKD. We discuss omics-related biomarkers and the pathophysiologic processes of endothelial dysfunction, kidney injury, oxidative stress and inflammation that are classified by specific biomarkers. Moreover, we illustrate the existing challenges and highlight the paucity of pediatric CKD research to evaluate these CVD biomarkers for future clinical pediatric practice. Thus, achieving clinical utility of CVD biomarkers for use in pediatric CKD remains a significant challenge requiring additional efforts.

Detection of Preclinical Orthostatic Disorders in Young African and European Adults Using the Head-Up Tilt Test with a Standardized Hydrostatic Column Height: A Pilot Study

Arterial hypertension (AH) remains the most common disease. One possible way to improve the effectiveness of the primary prevention of AH is to identify and control the preclinical orthostatic disturbances that precede the development of AH. The aim of the study was to determine the feasibility of a new protocol for the head-up tilt test (HUTT) with a standardized hydrostatic column height for the detection of asymptomatic orthostatic circulatory disorders and their racial differences in young African and European adults. Methods. In total, 80 young healthy adults (40 African and 40 European) aged 20–23 years performed the HUTT with a standardized hydrostatic column height of 133 cm. The hemodynamic parameters were recorded using a Task Force Monitor (3040i). The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) was measured using a VaSera VS-2000 volumetric sphygmograph. Results. The baseline and orthostatic hemodynamic changes in both racial groups were within normal limits. Orthostatic circulatory disturbances were not detected in 70% of the European participants and 65% of the African participants; however, preclinical orthostatic hypertension, which precedes AH, was detected using the new HUTT protocol in 32.5% of the African participants and 20% of the European participants. The baseline CAVI was higher in the European group compared to the African group. Conclusion. The results of this study showed the feasibility of the detection of preclinical orthostatic disturbances in young adults and the detection of their racial differences using the HUTT protocol, providing the use of a standard gravity load. Further study on the evolution of preclinical orthostatic disturbances and their relation to increased vascular stiffness is necessary among large samples.

Vascular biomarkers in the prevention of childhood cardiovascular risk: From concept to clinical implementation

Vascular biomarkers allow for non-invasive assessment of vascular structure and function and have been shown to be surrogates for cardiovascular (CV) outcome in adults. They reflect the cumulative risk of a plethora of single CV risk factors, such as obesity and hypertension, on the arterial wall. The process of atherosclerosis oftentimes has its origin in childhood and tracks into adulthood. Obesity-related CV risk in childhood is a main determinant of manifest CV disease and adverse outcome in adulthood. To date, prevention strategies are directed toward the detection and reduction of CV disease in adulthood. This review updates and puts into perspective the potential use of vascular biomarkers in children. With reference to the concept of early vascular aging in adults, it elaborates on the role of vascular biomarkers for CV risk stratification in children. The concept of primordial vascular aging implies that young children be screened for vascular health, in an attempt to timely detect subclinical atherosclerosis and initiate treatment strategies to reverse vascular damage in a period of life with high probability for risk regression. The evidence for the validity of macro- and microvascular candidate biomarkers as screening tools of CV risk in children is reviewed, and limitations as well as remaining research gaps are highlighted. Furthermore, an overview on the effects of exercise treatment on vascular biomarkers is given. Vascular biomarkers susceptible to lifestyle or drug treatment have the potential to qualify as monitoring tools to guide clinicians. This review discusses evidence for vascular biomarkers to optimize screening of childhood CV risk from initial concepts to potential future clinical implementation in cardiovascular prevention.

THE EFFECT OF SPORTS IN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ON RELIEVING HYPERTENSION

ABSTRACT Introduction: Studies have shown that different forms of aerobic exercise can lower blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension. Appropriate resistance exercises can also effectively lower blood pressure. Objective: To study the impact of sports on hypertension in colleges and universities. Methods: Several hypertension patients in colleges and universities were selected and randomly divided into two groups. One group (drug-only group) used conventional antihypertensive drugs (nifedipine), while the other (physical exercise group) supplemented drug therapy with physical exercise. There was a comparative analysis of the blood pressure of the two groups of patients. Results: The was a clear effect of sports on the hypertensive patients, with significant differences in the blood pressure reduction of the two groups. Conclusion: Sports can help treat high blood pressure. This method is viable for clinical application. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

High blood pressure among adolescents in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

Introduction

As high blood pressure (HBP) is often considered an adult disease in Africa, studies on and services for HBP focus on adults to the near-exclusion of adolescents. The dearth of information about the burden of HBP does not favour much attention being paid to it. We, therefore, prepared this protocol to estimate the prevalence and awareness of HBP in adolescents in Africa through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods

We will search several major databases for published and unpublished articles on population-based studies on adolescents living in Africa, aged 10–19 years produced from the year 2000 to date. The included articles will be those that define HBP according to international guidelines using the blood pressure cut-offs of the 95^th percentile for age, sex and height or of 130/90 mmHg, depending on the age of the subjects. The study selection as well as the evaluation of the quality of the included articles will be done independently by two reviewers, in line with best practices. We will pool together the prevalence across studies using random effects analysis and assess heterogeneity using meta-regression analysis and sub-group analysis. Sensitivity analysis using a leave-one-out analysis and an evaluation of reporting bias will also be performed. Reporting of our findings will conform to the recommended reporting guidelines.

Conclusion

The findings from our comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis will provide an up-to-date information on the prevalence of HBP and its awareness among adolescents in Africa and its sub-regions. They could be used to advocate for increased priority to life course approach to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO CRD42020197946.

Cardiovascular waveforms - can we extract more from routine signals?

Cardiovascular waveforms such as blood pressure, ECG and photoplethysmography (PPG), are routinely acquired by specialised monitoring devices. Such devices include bedside monitors, wearables and radiotelemetry which sample at very high fidelity, yet most of this numerical data is disregarded and focus tends to reside on single point averages such as the maxima, minima, amplitude, rate and intervals. Whilst, these measures are undoubtedly of value, we may be missing important information by simplifying the complex waveform signal in this way. This Special Collection showcases recent advances in the appraisal of routine signals. Ultimately, such approaches and technologies may assist in improving the accuracy and sensitivity of detecting physiological change. This, in turn, may assist with identifying efficacy or safety signals for investigational new drugs or aidpatient diagnosis and management, supporting scientific and clinical decision making.

Obesity and Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents: The Bidirectional Link

Obesity, eating disorders and unhealthy dieting practices among children and adolescents are alarming health concerns due to their high prevalence and adverse effects on physical and psychosocial health. We present the evidence that eating disorders and obesity can be managed or prevented using the same interventions in the pediatric age. In the presence of obesity in the pediatric age, disordered eating behaviors are highly prevalent, increasing the risk of developing eating disorders. The most frequently observed in subjects with obesity are bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorders, both of which are characterized by abnormal eating or weight-control behaviors. Various are the mechanisms overlying the interaction including environmental and individual ones, and different are the approaches to reduce the consequences. Evidence-based treatments for obesity and eating disorders in childhood include as first line approaches weight loss with nutritional management and lifestyle modification via behavioral psychotherapy, as well as treatment of psychiatric comorbidities if those are not a consequence of the eating disorder. Drugs and bariatric surgery need to be used in extreme cases. Future research is necessary for early detection of risk factors for prevention, more precise elucidation of the mechanisms that underpin these problems and, finally, in the cases requiring therapeutic intervention, to provide tailored and timely treatment. Collective efforts between the fields are crucial for reducing the factors of health disparity and improving public health.

Obesity and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: From Childhood to Adulthood

Obesity has become a major epidemic in the 21st century. It increases the risk of dyslipidemia, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes, which are known cardiometabolic risk factors and components of the metabolic syndrome. Although overt cardiovascular (CV) diseases such as stroke or myocardial infarction are the domain of adulthood, it is evident that the CV continuum begins very early in life. Recognition of risk factors and early stages of CV damage, at a time when these processes are still reversible, and the development of prevention strategies are major pillars in reducing CV morbidity and mortality in the general population. In this review, we will discuss the role of well-known but also novel risk factors linking obesity and increased CV risk from prenatal age to adulthood, including the role of perinatal factors, diet, nutrigenomics, and nutri-epigenetics, hyperuricemia, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiorespiratory fitness. The importance of 'tracking' of these risk factors on adult CV health is highlighted and the economic impact of childhood obesity as well as preventive strategies are discussed.

Arterial hypertension

Arterial hypertension is the most important contributor to the global burden of disease; however, disease control remains poor. Although the diagnosis of hypertension is still based on office blood pressure, confirmation with out-of-office blood pressure measurements (ie, ambulatory or home monitoring) is strongly recommended. The definition of hypertension differs throughout various guidelines, but the indications for antihypertensive therapy are relatively similar. Lifestyle adaptation is absolutely key in non-pharmacological treatment. Pharmacologically, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics are the first-line agents, with advice for the use of single-pill combination therapy by most guidelines. As a fourth-line agent, spironolactone should be considered. The rapidly evolving field of device-based therapy, especially renal denervation, will further broaden therapeutic options. Despite being a largely controllable condition, the actual rates of awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension are disappointingly low. Further improvements throughout the process of patient screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up need to be urgently addressed.

Relationship Between the Aldosterone-to-Renin Ratio and Blood Pressure in Young Adults: A Longitudinal Study

[Figure: see text].

Lifestyle, psychological, socioeconomic and environmental factors and their impact on hypertension during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

SUMMARY

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic considerably affects health, wellbeing, social, economic and other aspects of daily life. The impact of COVID-19 on blood pressure (BP) control and hypertension remains insufficiently explored. We therefore provide a comprehensive review of the potential changes in lifestyle factors and behaviours as well as environmental changes likely to influence BP control and cardiovascular risk during the pandemic. This includes the impact on physical activity, dietary patterns, alcohol consumption and the resulting consequences, for example increases in body weight. Other risk factors for increases in BP and cardiovascular risk such as smoking, emotional/psychologic stress, changes in sleep patterns and diurnal rhythms may also exhibit significant changes in addition to novel factors such as air pollution and environmental noise. We also highlight potential preventive measures to improve BP control because hypertension is the leading preventable risk factor for worldwide health during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Diet as a tool for primordial cardiovascular prevention in developing countries

There is a rising burden of non-communicable disease (NCD), especially cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in the developing nations to an extent that they are sometimes terms as NCD epidemics. If unchecked, these NCD epidemics, can impact the healthcare systems and adversely affect the development of the whole country. While CVD is a matter of concern worldwide, it is even more so in low- and middle-income countries, where the incidence and prevalence of these diseases are much worse than developed countries, owning to their large population. According to the WHO, CVDs cause 28.5% of all deaths, in the developing nations. Even within the developing countries, the profile of CVD varies greatly, depending on the phase of epidemiological transition the country is currently undergoing. While primary prevention is about treating risk factors to prevent CVD, primordial prevention refers to avoiding the development of risk factors in the first place. As we now know, atherosclerosis starts in youth and is related to dyslipidemia, smoking, and hypertension, Body Mass Index and blood glucose levels. Therefore, the primordial prevention must start early in life. High-quality clinical trials have traditionally been mainly focusing on primary and secondary prevention settings. There are some key studies that evaluated the role of diet in primordial setting that were discussed in this review.

Trends in Blood Pressure and Hypertension Among US Children and Adolescents, 1999-2018

Importance

Higher blood pressure (BP) levels in children are associated with an increased risk for hypertension and subclinical cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Identifying trends in BP could inform the need for interventions to lower BP.

Objective

To determine whether systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) levels among US children have changed during the past 20 years.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This serial cross-sectional analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data included 9117 children aged 8 to 12 years and 10 156 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years, weighted to the US population from 1999-2002 to 2015-2018. Data were collected from March 1999 to December 2018 and analyzed from March 26, 2020, to February 2, 2021.

Exposures

Calendar year.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcomes were mean SBP and mean DBP.

Results

A total of 19 273 participants were included in the analysis. Among children aged 8 to 12 years in 2015-2018 (mean age, 10.5 [95% CI, 10.5-10.6] years), 48.7% (95% CI, 45.2%-52.2%) were girls and 51.3% (95% CI, 47.8%-54.8%) were boys; 49.7% (95% CI, 42.2%-57.1%) were non-Hispanic White; 13.7% (95% CI, 10.3%-18.1%) were non-Hispanic Black; 25.5% (95% CI, 19.9%-32.0%) were Hispanic; 4.7% (95% CI, 3.2%-6.7%) were non-Hispanic Asian; and 6.5% (95% CI, 4.9%-8.5%) were other non-Hispanic race/ethnicity. Among those aged 13 to 17 years in 2015-2018 (mean age, 15.5 [95% CI, 15.5-15.5] years), 49.1% (95% CI, 46.1%-52.2%) were girls and 50.9% (95% CI, 47.8%-53.9%) were boys; 53.3% (95% CI, 46.4%-60.1%) were non-Hispanic White; 13.9% (95% CI, 10.3%-18.7%) were non-Hispanic Black; 21.9% (95% CI, 16.6%-28.2%) were Hispanic; 4.6% (95% CI, 3.2%-6.5%) were non-Hispanic Asian; and 6.3% (95% CI, 4.7%-8.5%) were other non-Hispanic race/ethnicity. Among children aged 8 to 12 years, age-adjusted mean SBP decreased from 102.4 (95% CI, 101.7-103.1) mm Hg in 1999-2002 to 101.5 (95% CI, 100.8-102.2) mm Hg in 2011-2014 and then increased to 102.5 (95% CI, 101.9-103.2) mm Hg in 2015-2018. Age-adjusted mean DBP decreased from 57.2 (95% CI, 56.5-58.0) mm Hg in 1999-2002 to 51.9 (95% CI, 50.1-53.7) mm Hg in 2011-2014 and increased to 53.2 (95% CI, 52.2-54.1) mm Hg in 2015-2018. Among adolescents aged 13 to 17 years, age-adjusted mean SBP decreased from 109.2 (95% CI, 108.7-109.7) mm Hg in 1999-2002 to 108.4 (95% CI, 107.8-109.1) mm Hg in 2011-2014 and remained unchanged in 2015-2018 (108.4 [95% CI, 107.8-109.1] mm Hg). Mean DBP decreased from 62.6 (95% CI, 61.7-63.5) mm Hg in 1999-2002 to 59.6 (95% CI, 58.2-60.9) mm Hg in 2011-2014 and then increased to 60.8 (95% CI, 59.8-61.7) mm Hg in 2015-2018. Among children aged 8 to 12 years, mean SBP was 3.2 (95% CI, 1.7-4.6) mm Hg higher among those with overweight and 6.8 (95% CI, 5.6-8.1) mm Hg higher among those with obesity compared with normal weight; mean DBP was 3.2 (95% CI, 0.7-5.6) mm Hg higher among those with overweight and 3.5 (95% CI, 1.9- 5.1) mm Hg higher among those with obesity compared with normal weight. Among adolescents aged 13 to 17 years, mean SBP was 3.5 (95% CI 1.9-5.1) mm Hg higher among those with overweight and 6.6 (95% CI, 5.2-8.0) mm Hg higher among those with obesity compared with normal weight, 4.8 (95% CI, 3.8-5.8) mm Hg higher among boys compared with girls, and 3.0 (95% CI, 1.7-4.3) mm Hg higher among non-Hispanic Black compared with non-Hispanic White participants.

Conclusions and Relevance

Despite an overall decline in mean SBP and DBP from 1999-2002 to 2015-2018, BP levels among children and adolescents may have increased from 2011-2014 to 2015-2018.

[Primordial prevention in childhood to avoid chronic diseases]

Primordial prevention targets the healthy population. It aims at supporting people in developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle to minimize the development of risk factors for noncommunicable diseases. Childhood offers special starting points and opportunities for this. Essentially for this is the creation of health-promoting conditions. This requires the participation of medical and non-medical professionals. Community organizing can significantly foster this process of interdisciplinary and setting-related work. Primordial prevention in childhood cannot be achieved without the active participation of pediatricians.

Life-Course Implications of Pediatric Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease

The concept that origins of cardiovascular disease (CVD) begin in childhood is supported by substantial evidence. Prospective studies beginning in childhood report associations of childhood obesity, abnormal blood pressure (BP), dyslipidemia, diabetes, and tobacco use with intermediate CVD markers, including left ventricular hypertrophy and vascular stiffness in young adulthood. Trajectory analyses from longitudinal studies describe discrete BP pathways from childhood to young adult status of hypertension and prehypertension. Among individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia, abnormal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels are present in childhood. Some children are at risk for future CVD owing to hereditary factors, psychosocial stress, race, low birth weight, or other nonmodifiable exposures. Behavioural factors, including suboptimal diet, sedentary activity, and tobacco use, in childhood augment risk and can be modified to reduce risk. Pharmacologic treatments are reserved for those at high levels of the BP and cholesterol distributions and for those with diabetes and additional risk factors.

Developmental and Early Life Origins of Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: Novel Findings and Implications

The intent of this review is to critically consider the data that support the concept of programming and its implications. Birth weight and growth trajectories during childhood are associated with cardiometabolic disease in adult life. Both extremes, low and high birth weight coupled with postnatal growth increase the early presence of cardiometabolic risk factors and vascular imprinting, crucial elements of this framework. Data coming from epigenetics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiota added relevant information and contribute to better understanding of mechanisms as well as development of biomarkers helping to move forward to take actions. Research has reached a stage in which sufficiently robust data calls for new initiatives focused on early life. Prevention starting early in life is likely to have a very large impact on reducing disease incidence and its associated effects at the personal, economic, and social levels.

Ambulatory hemodynamic patterns, obesity, and pulse wave velocity in children and adolescents

BACKGROUND

In recent years, pulse wave velocity (PWV) has emerged as a surrogate marker of cardiovascular disease in children with cardiovascular risk factors. The aims of the present study were to identify determinants of PWV in children according to their weight status and to investigate the role of peripheral blood pressure and central hemodynamic parameters in the association between PWV and obesity.

METHODS

We included in the study healthy children and adolescents randomly selected from a school-based blood pressure screening study. All participants underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and 24-h pulse wave analysis.

RESULTS

Overweight and obese children had higher 24-h PWV, 24-h peripheral and central systolic blood pressure (SBP), and cardiac output than normal weight ones. Children with both overweight and hypertension presented the highest 24-h PWV values (p < 0.001). Peripheral and central SBP, body mass index (BMI), and hemodynamic parameters, including stroke volume, cardiac output, total peripheral resistance, and cardiac index, were all associated with 24-h PWV. However, in stepwise regression analysis, 24-h peripheral and central SBP and cardiac index, but not BMI, were independent predictors of 24-h PWV. There were statistically significant differences in 24-h blood pressure and hemodynamic parameters among those on the lower and highest 24-h PWV quartile, but there were no significant differences in BMI among 24-h PWV quartile groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Arterial stiffness is higher in overweight and obese children in the co-presence of hypertension. Peripheral and central SBP are the main determinants of 24-h PWV independent of weight status. Graphical abstract.

Origins of Primary Hypertension in Children

Although relatively rare in childhood, primary hypertension (PH) is thought to have originated in childhood and may be even determined perinatally. PH prevalence increases in school-age children and affects 11% of 18-year-old adolescents. Associated with metabolic risk factors, elevated blood pressure in childhood is carried into adulthood. Analysis of the phenotype of hypertensive children has revealed that PH is a complex of anthropometric and neuro-immuno-metabolic abnormalities, typically found in hypertensive adults. Children with elevated blood pressure have shown signs of accelerated biological development, which are closely associated with further development of PH, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease in adulthood. At the time of diagnosis, hypertensive children were reported to have significant arterial remodelling expressed as significantly increased carotid intima-media thickness, increased stiffness of large arteries, lower area of microcirculation, and decreased endothelial function. These changes indicate that their biological age is 4 to 5 years older than their normotensive peers. All these abnormalities are typical features of early vascular aging described in adults with PH. However, as these early vascular changes in hypertensive children are closely associated with features of accelerated biological development and neuro-immuno-metabolic abnormalities observed in older subjects, it seems that PH in childhood is not only an early vascular aging event, but also an early biological maturation phenomenon.

Risk factors during first 1,000 days of life for carotid intima-media thickness in infants, children, and adolescents: A systematic review with meta-analyses

BACKGROUND

The first 1,000 days of life, i.e., from conception to age 2 years, could be a critical period for cardiovascular health. Increased carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis. We performed a systematic review with meta-analyses to assess (1) the relationship between exposures or interventions in the first 1,000 days of life and CIMT in infants, children, and adolescents; and (2) the CIMT measurement methods.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

Systematic searches of Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Excerpta Medica database (EMBASE), and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were performed from inception to March 2019. Observational and interventional studies evaluating factors at the individual, familial, or environmental levels, for instance, size at birth, gestational age, breastfeeding, mode of conception, gestational diabetes, or smoking, were included. Quality was evaluated based on study methodological validity (adjusted Newcastle-Ottawa Scale if observational; Cochrane collaboration risk of bias tool if interventional) and CIMT measurement reliability. Estimates from bivariate or partial associations that were least adjusted for sex were used for pooling data across studies, when appropriate, using random-effects meta-analyses. The research protocol was published and registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42017075169). Of 6,221 reports screened, 50 full-text articles from 36 studies (34 observational, 2 interventional) totaling 7,977 participants (0 to 18 years at CIMT assessment) were retained. Children born small for gestational age had increased CIMT (16 studies, 2,570 participants, pooled standardized mean difference (SMD): 0.40 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.15 to 0.64, p: 0.001), I2: 83%). When restricted to studies of higher quality of CIMT measurement, this relationship was stronger (3 studies, 461 participants, pooled SMD: 0.64 (95% CI: 0.09 to 1.19, p: 0.024), I2: 86%). Only 1 study evaluating small size for gestational age was rated as high quality for all methodological domains. Children conceived through assisted reproductive technologies (ART) (3 studies, 323 participants, pooled SMD: 0.78 (95% CI: -0.20 to 1.75, p: 0.120), I2: 94%) or exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy (3 studies, 909 participants, pooled SMD: 0.12 (95% CI: -0.06 to 0.30, p: 0.205), I2: 0%) had increased CIMT, but the imprecision around the estimates was high. None of the studies evaluating these 2 factors was rated as high quality for all methodological domains. Two studies evaluating the effect of nutritional interventions starting at birth did not show an effect on CIMT. Only 12 (33%) studies were at higher quality across all domains of CIMT reliability. The degree of confidence in results is limited by the low number of high-quality studies, the relatively small sample sizes, and the high between-study heterogeneity.

CONCLUSIONS

In our meta-analyses, we found several risk factors in the first 1,000 days of life that may be associated with increased CIMT during childhood. Small size for gestational age had the most consistent relationship with increased CIMT. The associations with conception through ART or with smoking during pregnancy were not statistically significant, with a high imprecision around the estimates. Due to the large uncertainty in effect sizes and the limited quality of CIMT measurements, further high-quality studies are needed to justify intervention for primordial prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Preventing Premature Atherosclerotic Disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) can begin in youth. Prevention is essential to reducing the burden of CVD-related risk factors in childhood and disease development in adulthood. This review addresses the clinical scope of CVD prevention, including a review of conditions encountered, proposed diagnostic criteria, and management strategies. We also highlight the impact of the intrauterine environment on the development of CVD risk. Finally, we highlight the potential role of telehealth in the management of pediatric patients with risk factors for premature CVD.

RECENT FINDINGS

Growing evidence suggests that maternal obesity, diabetes, and preeclampsia may play an important role in the development of CVD risk among offspring contributing to the development of known traditional CVD risk factors among offspring. As the prevalence of CVD continues to rise, knowledge as well as appropriate diagnosis and management of primordial and traditional risk factors for CVD is needed. The diagnosis and management of CVD risk factors is a central role of the preventive pediatric cardiologist, but it is imperative that the general physician and other pediatric subspecialists be aware of these risk factors, diagnoses, and management strategies. Finally, telehealth may offer an additional method for providing preventive care, including screening and counseling of at risk children and adolescents for traditional risk factors and for providing education regarding risk factors in cases of long distance care and/or during periods of social distancing.

Early life predictors of development of blood pressure from childhood to adulthood: Evidence from a 30-year longitudinal birth cohort study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The early life predictors of changes in the blood pressures of offspring between childhood and young adulthood have not been well defined. Thus, this study aimed to determine the life course association of offspring's blood pressure with prenatal and early infancy lifestyle, and other factors taking advantage of a large community-based, longitudinal study of a birth cohort in Australia - the MUSP study.

METHODS

The systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) was measured for 3793, 3782, 2628 and 1780 offspring of the Australian longitudinal cohort study at 5, 14, 21 and 30 years of their age, respectively. Individual PP and mean arterial pressure (MAP) was equated, and Generalized Estimating Equations with time (age) and predictor interaction modelling were performed.

RESULTS

Blood pressures of the offspring increased significantly between 5 and 30 years. Early life factors such as pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity, and hypertensive disorder in pregnancy were significantly positively associated, and duration of gestation and pre-pregnancy thinness of the mothers negatively associated with this life course increase in the offspring's blood pressure. Rapid increase in body weight from birth to 5 years had a strong association with increasing blood pressures components throughout their life course.

CONCLUSIONS

Several maternal pre-pregnancy and pregnancy factors along with the early life growth characteristics of offspring are important predictors of increase in blood pressure of the offspring from their childhood to adulthood.