title: Blood pressure and self-assessment of female sexual maturation.
abstract: The relationship of sexual maturation to blood pressure was investigated in a sample (n = 361) of white, non-Hispanic females, aged 7-18 years. Sexual maturation was determined by self-assessment. Systolic and fourth- and fifth-phase diastolic blood pressures increased significantly with increasing maturation. Body mass index, breast development, and pubic hair growth explained 29% of the systolic blood pressure variance and 23% of the fourth- and fifth-phase diastolic blood pressure variances. The interpretation of a child's or adolescent's blood pressure should take into account his or her stage of sexual maturation and body size. A consideration of growth and maturation may contribute to studies of the natural history of blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Kozinetz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000886:Anthropometry; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D012923:Social Class