Blood pressure levels in school-age Japanese children: the Hisayama Study.
Blood pressure (BP) measurements were obtained on a total of 6325 children (3294 boys and 3031 girls), aged 6-14 years, in Hisayama, Japan. All BPs were recorded in a sitting position by trained observers in a standardised manner. Standard mercury sphygmomanometers were used with commercially available cuffs, selected according to the arm circumference. Cuff size no. 3 (bladder width 9 cm, length 23 cm) was the one most commonly selected in 84% of elementary schoolers aged 6-11 years and in 35% of junior high schoolers aged 12-14 years. Mean systolic BPs (SBPs) increased from 89 mm Hg at age 6 years to 108 mm Hg at 14 years (a 21% increase) for boys and from 88 mm Hg to 102 mm Hg (a 16% increase) for girls. Diastolic BP (DBPs, Korotkoff phase IV, KIV) increased from ages 6 to 14 years to the same degree, from 58 mm Hg to 72 mm Hg (a 24% increase) for boys and from 58 mm Hg to 70 mm Hg (a 21% increase) for girls. The increase in DBP (Korotkoff phase V, KV) was greater, from 48 mm Hg to 63 mm Hg (a 30% increase) for boys and from 48 mm Hg to 61 mm Hg (a 28% increase) for girls. The increase in mean SBP for adolescent boys was greater compared with that of girls; however, separation of age-specific values by sex was not observed for mean DBP (KIV) and DBP (KV). The cross-sectional relation between age and mean SBP levels was not linear.
Fukushige
J
J
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Higashiku Fukuoka, Japan.
Igarashi
H
H
Ueda
K
K
Sakamonto
M
M
Akazawa
K
K
Nose
Y
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000886:Anthropometry; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors