Blood pressure in schoolchildren in northwest India

Blood pressure was determined among 2,453 schoolchildren aged between 7 and 16 years in the northwest Indian town of Chandigarh to establish the norms. The percentiles were calculated for each age group in both sexes. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure had a positive correlation with age, weight, height, and body surface area (r = 0.112-0.178, p less than 0.01). There was no difference in the systolic and diastolic pressures of boys compared with girls of corresponding age. The upper limits of normal (90th percentile) systolic/diastolic pressure were 113/74, 119/76, and 126/79 in children aged 7-9 years, children aged 10-12 years, and adolescents aged 13-16 years, respectively. The lower limits of hypertension (95th percentile) for systolic/diastolic pressure were 119/80, 124/81, and 132/82 in each of these groups, respectively. The 99th percentile values indicative of severe hypertension for systolic/diastolic pressure in these groups were 128/88, 135/88, and 149/89, respectively. The 90th percentile of height and weight shown in the percentile table should be taken into consideration whenever blood pressure exceeds the 90th percentile for age and sex while planning the management of an individual.