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Longitudinal assessment of blood pressures in black and white children
A K Manatunga1, J J Jones, J H Pratt
1Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202-5111.
Insights
Black children, particularly girls, show higher systolic blood pressure than white children. Blood pressure increases faster over time in Black children, highlighting potential long-term hypertension risks.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiovascular Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Hypertension prevalence is higher in Black adults compared to White adults.
- Limited clarity exists regarding blood pressure differences between Black and White children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate racial differences in blood pressure (BP) and BP change over time in children.
- To assess if Black children exhibit higher blood pressure than White children.
Main Methods:
- Prospective longitudinal study of 345 White and 164 Black children.
- Blood pressure measured every 6 months for 2 to 5.5 years.
- Analysis compared mean BP and BP change rates between racial and gender groups, adjusting for covariates.
Main Results:
- Black children had higher mean systolic BP (2 mm Hg) and diastolic BP (1.5 mm Hg) than White children.
- Systolic BP increased significantly faster over time in Black children (P = .0002).
- Racial differences in systolic BP persisted in girls after adjusting for age, weight, height, and BMI.
Conclusions:
- Black children exhibit higher systolic blood pressure and a faster rate of BP increase compared to White children.
- These findings suggest a potential for earlier onset or increased risk of hypertension in Black children.
- Longitudinal monitoring and early intervention strategies are crucial for Black children's cardiovascular health.
Abstract:
The prevalence of hypertension is greater for blacks than whites. Whether black children have higher blood pressure than white children is less clear. We investigated this issue through a prospective longitudinal assessment of blood pressure in 345 white children and 164 black children. Each child had his or her blood pressure measured every 6 months for 2 to 5.5 years. The means for systolic and diastolic blood pressures for each individual were calculated, and the rate of change in blood pressure over time for each subject was estimated. The mean blood pressure and the mean rate were compared between gender-specific black and white groups. For both boys and girls, the mean systolic blood pressure was 2 mm Hg higher in black children than white children (P = .0008). Boys had a higher systolic blood pressure than girls (P = .0048). The mean diastolic blood pressure was 1.5 mm Hg higher in black children than in white children (P = .0270); no significant gender difference in diastolic blood pressure was observed. Age, weight, height, and body mass index were highly correlated with blood pressure. When accounting for these variables, for girls the racial difference in systolic blood pressure remained significant, whereas the difference in diastolic blood pressure in boys and girls was no longer significant. The rate of increase in blood pressure over time was significantly greater in blacks than whites: for systolic blood pressure, P = .0002, and for diastolic blood pressure, P = .009.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)