Among 9977 public school children aged 6 to 9 years screened in late winter and spring of 1978 in Minnesota, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic fourth phase blood pressure (DBP4) were found to be unrelated to age when height and body mass index (kg/m2) were taken into account. Weight was the best single measure of body size for predicing blood pressure. Black and white children had small and inconsistent, although statistically significant, differences in blood pressure after adjusting for other variables. The same was true for boys and girls. The problems of establishing normal blood pressures for children are discussed. The current analyses suggest the use of blood pressure centiles by height.

Age Factors↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Blood pressure of urban Native American school children.

In 307 Native American (NA), 1784 black (B), and 7777 white (W) children in grades 1, 2, and 3 in Minneapolis schools (99% overall response rate), blood pressure (BP) was measured supine in the right arm after 5 minutes' rest by trained technicians using a random zero BP device. In addition, height, weight, pulse rate, and triceps skinfold thickness were measured. Among children aged 6 through 9 years, NA children had slightly higher systolic BP (SBP) than B or W children overall (mean SBP: NA 106, B 104, W 105 mm Hg) and for nearly all age sex groups. In contrast, Phase 4 and 5 diastolic BP (DBP) were consistently lower in NA children ( mean DBP4: NA 64, B 69, W 67 mm Hg); NA children also had lower pulse rates, greater pulse pressures, similar or slightly lower mean BP, similar height, greater weight, body mass index, and triceps skinfold. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the slightly higher SBP in NA children was explained almost entirely by greater ponderosity. However, the lower DBP could not be explained statistically by any of the variables measured.

Black People↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A prospective study of cerebrovascular disease in Japanese rural communities, Akabane and Asahi. Part 1: evaluation of risk factors in the occurrence of cerebral hemorrhage and thrombosis.

An epidemiological study of cerebrovascular disease in Akabane and Asahi, Japan, was made. (These cities are located near Nagoy, Japan.) The study population included 4,737 men and women aged 40 to 79 at the time of entry into the study. There were 4,186 persons who were examined and, of these, 264 cases of cerebrovascular attacks were observed between 1964 and 1970. The incidence rate of stroke in those persons not responding to the survey was 15.9 times higher than in those persons examined according to person-year observation in Akabane. The risk factors for cerebral hemorrhage and thrombosis were evaluated by age-adjusted and sex-adjusted relative risks. The predisposing factors to cerebral hemorrhage appeared to be high blood pressure, high left R wave, ST depression, T abnormality, capillary fragility counts, previous medical history of stroke and albuminuria. For cerebral thrombosis, the predisposing factors appeared to be high blood pressure, ST depression and funduscopic sclerotic findings, and those factors assumed to be significant were glycosuria and smoking habits. Ocular funduscopic abnormality was the most prominent risk factor for cerebral thrombosis, while high blood pressure and ECG abnormalities were highly related to cerebral hemorrhage. It was suggested that those subjects with a relatively higher blood pressure may have a higher relative risk of cerebral hemorrhage than those with a lower (normal range) blood pressure. A previous or family history of stroke also appeared significantly related to cerebral hemorrhage.

Adult↗