title: Psychosomatic and psychosocial symptoms are associated with low blood pressure in Swedish schoolchildren.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The relation between psychosomatic and psychosocial symptoms and blood pressure was studied in Swedish schoolchildren.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood pressure was measured in 122 healthy Swedish schoolchildren, aged 6-16 years. Psychosomatic and psychosocial symptoms, delinquent behaviour, parental health and employment status were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with systolic blood pressure above + 1 SD of mean reported significantly less symptoms (x = 1.4) than children with blood pressure below -1 SD of the mean (x = 2.7; p < 0.05). Children with three or more self-reported symptoms had significantly lower blood pressure than children without symptoms both in the supine (110 +/- 12 vs. 120 +/- 18 mm Hg; p < 0.05) and in the standing position (117 +/- 17 vs. 127 +/- 18 mm Hg; p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that psychosomatic and psychosocial symptoms in children might be associated with low blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Göteborg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Borres
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Thulesius
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology