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Ambulatory blood pressure in schoolchildren
J J O'Sullivan1, G Derrick, P Griggs
1Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 7DN, UK.
Archives of Disease in Childhood
|May 20, 1999
Summary
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in children reveals significant daytime variations outside normal resting levels. This data is crucial for early identification of potential hypertension in schoolchildren.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Hypertension Research
- Public Health
Background:
- Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is essential for understanding blood pressure (BP) variations.
- Establishing normal BP ranges in children is critical for diagnosing hypertension.
- Previous studies may lack comprehensive data on BP variability in pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish normative data for ambulatory blood pressure in a cohort of healthy schoolchildren.
- To quantify the range and variability of blood pressure during different daily activities (school, home, night).
- To assess the predictive value of resting blood pressure measurements for 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving 1121 schoolchildren from Newcastle upon Tyne.
- Measurement of resting blood pressure using standard techniques.
- 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring using a device combining auscultatory and oscillometric methods.
Main Results:
- Normal centiles for blood pressure were established for school, home, and nighttime periods.
- A significant proportion of daytime readings fell outside established normal resting blood pressure levels.
- Resting systolic blood pressure was found to be an unreliable predictor of 24-hour mean systolic blood pressure.
Conclusions:
- Normal ambulatory blood pressure data provides a benchmark for blood pressure levels and variations in children.
- This data can aid in the earlier and more accurate identification of hypertension in the pediatric age group.
- Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is a valuable tool for pediatric hypertension screening and diagnosis.
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