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Published on: June 5, 2019
Elevated blood pressure in children with cerebral palsy and its relationship with adiposity and physical activity
Junsoo Lee1, Trevor Batson1, Kevin K McCully1
1Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
Insights
Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have higher blood pressure, linked to increased visceral fat. Early blood pressure screening is recommended for children with CP to address this growing concern.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Hypertension is prevalent in adults with cerebral palsy (CP).
- Limited data exists on blood pressure in pediatric populations with CP.
- Understanding blood pressure in children with CP is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate elevated blood pressure in children with CP.
- To determine the relationship between blood pressure, adiposity, and physical activity in children with CP.
Main Methods:
- Compared 30 children with spastic CP (5-11 years) to 30 typically developing controls.
- Measured resting blood pressure (SBP, DBP, MAP), heart rate, visceral fat mass, total body fat mass index (FMI).
- Assessed physical activity using accelerometer-based monitors.
Main Results:
- Children with CP exhibited higher diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate than controls.
- Elevated DBP percentile and MAP in children with CP persisted after controlling for BMI.
- Children with CP and hypertension had significantly higher visceral fat mass compared to those with normal blood pressure.
Conclusions:
- Children with CP demonstrate higher resting blood pressure compared to their typically developing peers.
- Increased visceral adiposity is a key factor associated with elevated blood pressure in these children.
- Routine blood pressure screening should commence in childhood for individuals diagnosed with CP.
Background:
There is a high prevalance of hypertension in adults with with cerebral palsy (CP). However, less is known about blood pressure in children with CP.
Objective:
The aim was to determine if blood pressure is elevated in children with CP and whether it is related to adiposity and physical activity.
Methods:
Thirty children with spastic CP (5-11 y) and 30 age-, sex-, and race-matched typically developing control children were studied. Resting systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate were measured, and mean arterial pressure (MAP) was calculated. Visceral fat mass and total body fat mass index (FMI) were determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Physical activity was assessed using accelerometer-based monitors.
Results:
Children with CP had higher DBP and heart rate than controls (p < 0.05). DBP percentile and MAP were also higher in children with CP when BMI was statistically controlled. Children with CP and elevated blood pressure or hypertension (n = 8) had 56% more visceral fat mass than children with CP and normal blood pressure (n = 22; p < 0.05). In the groups combined, blood pressure was directly related to visceral fat mass and FMI, and inversely related to physical activity (p < 0.05). However, in children with CP alone, only visceral fat mass was related to blood pressure (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Children with CP have higher resting blood pressure than typically developing children. The higher blood pressure is related to higher visceral adiposity. Careful blood pressure screening should start during childhood in individuals with CP.
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