Blood Pressure Profiles of Apparently Healthy Children of Urban Private School of Central Karnataka, India

Background: Hypertension is one of the most common disease prevailing in the developed and developing world and has its roots in childhood and adolescence. Blood pressure levels vary with age, sex, height, weight, BMI, family history of hypertension, socio-economic status and ethnic groups.The aim of this study was to determine the blood pressure values in healthy school children of central Karnataka, India. Method: Blood pressure data of 1651 urban school children (829 boys and 822 girls) in the age group of 6-16 years were analyzed to study the distribution pattern of systolic blood pressure(SBP) and diastolic blood pressure(DBP) at different age, sex, weight,height and BMI. The correlation coefficient and regression coefficient was calculated and prediction equation for systolic and diastolic blood pressure for that particular age, height,weight and BMI were obtained. Normograms according to age were established. Results: The SBP and DBP tends to increase with age, weight, height and BMI. The blood pressure values (SBP and DBP) increased grossly after 11 years of age. In the normograms obtained in the study, 95% of the study population falls between mean+2SD and mean-2SD. Conclusion: The blood pressure of children and adolescents can be evaluated using the reference table according to age. The table provided helps to classify as 'normal' or 'hypertension' (>+2SD).