Longitudinal study of blood pressure during the 1st year of life

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Cardiovascular Health
• Infant Development

Background:

• Establishing normative data for infant physiological parameters is crucial for monitoring health.
• Previous studies may not fully capture early developmental trends in blood pressure.
• Understanding infant cardiovascular development is essential for early detection of potential issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish reference ranges and percentile curves for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and weight in infants from birth to 12 months.
• To analyze the developmental trends of these parameters during the first year of life.
• To compare early diastolic blood pressure values with existing literature.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 260 boys and 254 girls aged 0-12 months.
• Systematic measurement of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and weight.
• Statistical analysis to determine mean +/- standard deviation values and generate percentile curves.

Main Results:

• Mean +/- SD values and percentile curves for blood pressure, heart rate, and weight were generated.
• Significant increases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were observed during the first six months of life.
• Blood pressure showed a poor correlation with infant weight during the study period.
• Diastolic blood pressure in the first month of life was found to be lower than previously reported values.

Conclusions:

• The study provides valuable normative data for infant cardiovascular parameters up to 12 months of age.
• Early infant blood pressure demonstrates significant development within the first six months, independent of weight.
• Findings suggest a need to re-evaluate existing reference ranges for early diastolic blood pressure in neonates.