Blood pressure pattern in healthy Nigerian adolescents

Abstract

Background: The rising prevalence of primary hypertension in the paediatric population worldwide presents a worrisome trend, emphasizing the need to determine blood pressure (BP) levels and its correlates in healthy Nigerian adolescents.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 1179 students aged 10-17 years (538 males and 641 females) was conducted in
Gwagwalada. BP was measured using the mercury sphygmomanometer.

Results: Mean (SD) SBP increased significantly from 96.7 (10.8) mm Hg at 10 years, to 116.8 (11.1) mm Hg at 17 years, p < 0.01. Mean (SD) DBP also increased significantly from 62.8 (8.3) mm Hg at 10 years, to 74.5 (10.6) mm Hg at 17 years, p < 0.01. SBP and DBP correlated positively and significantly with age, weight, and body mass index, p < 0.01. Independent predictors of SBP were age (β = 0.154, p < 0.01), and height (β = 0.281, p < 0.05), and age (β = 0.205, p < 0.01), and weight (β = 0.527, p < 0.05) for DBP. There was no significant relationship between blood pressure, and gender, socio-economic class, and place of residence, p > 0.05, respectively. The prevalence of systolic and diastolic hypertension was 8.0 and 6.8 percent, respectively.

Conclusion: The significant correlation of BP with age and body size highlights the need for age and anthropometry based regional BP reference charts.