[Arterial pressure and race. A study in pauper children attending schools in an urban strip in Lisbon].
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether race is a factor of blood pressure levels in school-age children of similar social status, and to investigate other potential determinants of the levels of blood pressure.


METHODS
Inquiry in schools of the suburbs of Lisbon.


METHODS
Three schools, four medical observers (general practitioners with school-health functions).


METHODS
Three hundred ninety seven children, aged 6-14 years, both sexes, 296 being white and 101 non-white.


METHODS
Inquiry to the following individual characteristics--sex, age, race, birthplace, type of housing, house availability of water, electricity and waste water, type of transportation to school, number of cohabitans, family income, school marks. Individual determination of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), weight and height.


RESULTS
Blood pressure values were cross-analyzed with all the determined variables, and the virtual correlations were checked. Main results as follows: Race does not influence either SBP or DBP. In this age group, sex does not influence blood pressure values. The used markers of socioeconomical status have equally no influence on blood pressure. Age has only a significant repercussion on SBP. No significant correlation was found between height and blood pressure. Body weight, however, influence either SBP or DBP. SBP was found to be lower in the second of two successive measurements, and the difference increases with age.


CONCLUSIONS
In this school-aged biracial population, body weight seems to be the major factor of blood pressure levels, in the sense-bigger weight, higher SBP and DBP.
Soares
A de O
Ade O
Serviço de Medicina I, Hospital de Santa Maria/Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa.
Ferrão
C R
CR
David
E B
EB
de Andrade
L F
LF
Ramalho
L R
LR
Moreira
C
C
de Castro
J J
JJ
da Costa
J N
JN
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011174:Portugal; D011203:Poverty; D044469:Racial Groups; D014505:Urban Population
Pressão arterial e raça. Um estudo em crianças pobres de escolas duma franja urbana de Lisboa.