3114.0: Monday, October 22, 2001 - 3:00 PM

Abstract #29623

High systolic blood pressure in school-age children in Fort Worth, Texas. A community-based case-control study

Ximena Urrutia-Rojas, RN, DrPH1, John A Menchaca, MD2, Naveed Ahmad, MD1, Carolina Alvarez-Garriga, MD3, and Manuel Bayona, MD, PhD4. (1) Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Univ of N. Texas - School of Public Health at Fort Worth, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, (2) Cook Children's Network, 709 West Leuda, Fort Worth, TX 76104, (3) Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University Of North Texas-School of Public Health, 3500 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, (817)735-5033, cgarriga@hsc.unt.edu, (4) Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of North Texas, School of Public Health, 3500 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699

High systolic blood pressure (HSBP) in children has been associated to obesity. However, other risk factors may be different in different populations and is an important indicator of hypertension in adults. The purpose of this study was to identify and assess factors associated with HSBP in addition to age and obesity. This study was conducted in a dataset of 1,066 children from schools in Fort Worth, Texas. Children's ages ranged between 8 and 13 years, and 52% were females. Children with HSBP (higher than the median SBP) were compared to low SBP (equal or lower than the median SBP) children in regards to selected factors. The crude and multiple logistic regression adjusted odds ratio was used as a measure of association. Age was found significantly associated with HSBP (OR=1.65, p<0.001). Gender was not found significantly associated with HSBP(p=0.400). Obesity was strongly associated with HSBP(OR=4.51, 95%CI3.4,6.1). Results were adjusted by age, gender and obesity: High diastolic blood pressure was found associated with HSBP(OR=3.3, 95%CI2.5, 4.2). Acanthosis nigricans was associated with HSBP OR=1.6(95%CI1.1,2.5). Being Hispanic, watching TV more than 2 hours, more active children at home, eating at the school cafeteria, eating snacks and sweets every day were not found importantly associated with HSBP. Therefore, the potential association of these variables with HSBP could be explained by their association with obesity. These findings provide evidence to better understand the local epidemiology of HSBP in children.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the presentation the participant will be able to: 1. Identify juvenile high systolic blood pressure as an indicator of "tracking" for hypertension in adults. 2. Identify high blood pressure as a potential public health problem in children. 3. Describe the basic epidemiology of high systolic blood pressure in children. 4. List major factors associated to high blood pressure in children. 5. Discuss the importance of the early detection of high blood pressure in children

Keywords: Hypertension, Children

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 129th Annual Meeting of APHA