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Frequency of diarrhoea as a predictor of elevated blood pressure in children

Juan Jaime Miranda1, Alisha R Davies, George Davey Smith

  • 1Noncommunicable Disease Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. jaime.miranda@lshtm.ac.uk

Journal of Hypertension
|January 22, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Diarrhoeal illness frequency in childhood did not correlate with higher blood pressure. However, severe dehydration requiring hospitalization in infancy may be linked to elevated blood pressure later in life.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Diarrhoeal illness is a significant global child health issue, especially in developing nations.
  • Severe dehydration from diarrhea in early infancy may be associated with later-life hypertension.
  • This study investigated the link between diarrheal disease frequency and elevated blood pressure in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if the frequency of diarrheal episodes in children is associated with increased blood pressure.
  • To explore the hypothesis that early-life dehydration influences long-term blood pressure levels.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of a child diarrheal disease cohort in Lima, Peru (2001-2006).
  • Daily diarrheal surveillance and blood pressure measurements in 2006.
  • Diarrheal exposure assessed by total days, episodes, persistent episodes, and incidence rates.

Main Results:

  • No significant association found between diarrheal frequency (days, episodes, incidence) and childhood blood pressure.
  • A weak trend suggested higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure in children hospitalized for severe dehydration in their first year.
  • High incidence of diarrheal episodes observed under age 1 (4.35) and under age 5 (2.80).

Conclusions:

  • Childhood diarrheal frequency does not appear to be associated with increased blood pressure.
  • Hospital admission for severe dehydration in the first year of life may correlate with elevated blood pressure.
  • The long-term impact of severe dehydration episodes on blood pressure requires further investigation.
Abstract

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