Quantitative analysis of systolic blood pressure tracking during childhood and adolescence using a tracking index: the Shimane Heart Study.
We used a tracking index to carry out a quantitative analysis of blood pressure tracking in children and adolescents. The index was calculated according to changes in blood pressure quintiles for the whole population during the observation period. The study population consisted of 463 Japanese children living in Izumo, who were examined every 3 years from 6 to 12 years of age in cohort 1, and from 9 to 15 years of age in cohort 2. In both sexes, the tracking index decreased transiently during the period from 9 to 12 years of age and increased again thereafter. The index was higher in girls than in boys except for the period from 12 to 15 years. Correlation coefficients between blood pressure at the first and that at the second examination increased with age in both sexes. We conclude that the tracking index could quantify the degree of tracking. Systolic blood pressure tracked well during childhood and adolescence, and the degree of tracking increased after the age of 12 years in both sexes.
Nishio
T
T
Department of Paediatrics, Shimane Medical University, Izumo, Japan.
Mori
C
C
Watanabe
K
K
Haneda
N
N
Kishida
K
K
Hayashi
Y
Y
Horino
N
N
D000293:Adolescent; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007564:Japan; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D012307:Risk Factors