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Blood pressure reactivity in young children: comparing three stressors

H L Taras1, J F Sallis

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0927.

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics : JDBP
|February 1, 1992
PubMed

Insights

Blood pressure reactivity in children, a rise in blood pressure (BP) after stress, shows generalizability across different stressors. Physical exertion demonstrated the highest BP reactivity and reliability, making it promising for future research.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Psychophysiology

Background:

  • Blood pressure (BP) reactivity, a transient BP elevation post-stressor, is a stable trait in children.
  • This reactivity may predict future cardiovascular disease (CVD) and hypertension.
  • Understanding BP reactivity across diverse stressors is crucial for early CVD risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the generalizability of blood pressure reactivity in young children across varied acute stressors.
  • To compare BP reactivity levels and reliability following physical, competitive, and cognitive tasks.
  • To identify the most reliable stressor for studying BP reactivity in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • Measured systolic and diastolic blood pressure reactivity in 85 children (ages 3-6 years) after three distinct stressors.
  • Assessed test-retest reliability over two weeks for BP reactivity and baseline BP.
  • Analyzed correlations between BP reactivity across stressors and with skin-fold thickness.

Main Results:

  • Systolic BP reactivity was highest after physical exertion (104 mm Hg) compared to competitive (95 mm Hg) and cognitive (93 mm Hg) tasks.
  • Physical stressor showed higher test-retest reliability for BP reactivity (r=.66) than baseline BP (r=.58) and other stressors.
  • BP reactivity demonstrated generalizability across stressors, with significant correlations observed between them.

Conclusions:

  • Blood pressure reactivity is a generalizable phenomenon in young children across different types of stressors.
  • Physical exertion emerges as the most reliable and promising stressor for future research on pediatric BP reactivity.
  • Findings support the use of BP reactivity assessment in children for early identification of cardiovascular risk factors.

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