Related Experiment Videos
The natural history of blood pressure in childhood
Insights
Childhood blood pressure shows moderate tracking, meaning a child's position in the blood pressure distribution is somewhat stable over time. However, this tracking is insufficient to reliably identify future hypertension in children solely through blood pressure measurements.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiovascular Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Elevated blood pressure in childhood is a concern for long-term cardiovascular health.
- Identifying children at risk for future hypertension is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between childhood blood pressure levels and adult blood pressure.
- To determine if children with high blood pressure can be identified early in life.
Main Methods:
- A random sample of 596 Dutch children (aged 5-19) was studied.
- Annual blood pressure measurements were taken for 386 children over several years (1975-1982).
- Blood pressure 'tracking' was analyzed using linear regression to assess the stability of blood pressure percentiles over time.
Main Results:
- Moderate 'tracking' of blood pressure was observed, with 'tracking' coefficients ranging from 0.2 to 0.6 mmHg/mmHg.
- After four years, 27-44% of children in the top 10% for systolic blood pressure remained in that range.
- For diastolic blood pressure, 22-25% of children remained in the top 10% after four years.
Conclusions:
- Childhood blood pressure exhibits a moderate degree of tracking.
- Blood pressure measurement alone in childhood is insufficient to reliably predict future hypertension.
Abstract:
To find out whether there is a relationship between the level of blood pressure in childhood and later on in life, and whether future hypertensives can be identified early in life, we selected a random sample of 596 Dutch children. At the first examination they were 5-19 years of age. In 386 of them (65%) at least five consecutive annual blood pressure measurements were made between 1975 and 1982. The stability of a child's position in the blood pressure distribution ('tracking') was studied by linear regression of follow-up blood pressure on initial blood pressure. 'Tracking' coefficients were 0.4 to 0.6 mmHg/mmHg for systolic pressure, and 0.2 to 0.5 mmHg/mmHg for diastolic pressure after four years of follow-up. Twenty-seven per cent of the boys and 44% of the girls who were in the upper 10% of the systolic blood pressure distribution at the first examination were still there after four years. For diastolic pressure these figures were 25% and 22%, respectively. These observations indicate that there is a moderate degree of blood pressure 'tracking' in childhood. They further imply that it is impossible to detect future hypertensives early in life by measurement of blood pressure only.