Ethnicity and socioeconomic status: impact on cardiovascular activity at rest and during stress in youth with a family history of hypertension.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the present study was to examine the potential interaction of ethnicity and SES on hemodynamic functioning at rest and during acute stress in normotensive adolescents with a family history of essential hypertension (EH).


METHODS
The influences of ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES) on cardiovascular function were evaluated at rest and in response to five different laboratory stressors.


METHODS
110 (50 female) Caucasian and 162 (85 female) African-American normotensive youth (initial age 11.2+/-2.4 years) with a family history of essential hypertension (EH) were tested on two occasions, an average of 2.5 years apart. Based on previous findings, it was predicted that African Americans, particularly those of low SES, would exhibit higher resting blood pressure (BP) and greater cardiovascular reactivity to acute laboratory stressors than would Caucasians.


RESULTS
As predicted, African-American youth exhibited higher resting diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and total peripheral resistance (TPR) than Caucasians on both visits (both Ps<.04). African Americans exhibited greater systolic blood pressure (SBP) reactivity than did Caucasians to the video game stressor during both lab visits (both Ps<.02) and greater heart rate reactivity during the first lab visit (P<.01). African Americans exhibited greater SBP and/or DBP, and TPR reactivity to the cold pressor during the first lab visit and the parent-child discussion during the second visit (all Ps<.03).


CONCLUSIONS
As predicted, African Americans exhibited higher resting BP and TPR, and greater cardiovascular reactivity than Caucasians. Although not in the predicted direction, a pattern of interactions began to emerge on the second evaluation. For example, upper SES youth exhibited greater heart rate reactivity compared to all other groups on the social competence interview and parent-child discussion stressors. Further study is needed to clarify the role cardiovascular reactivity may play in the link between ethnicity, SES, and cardiovascular disease risk.
Barnes
V A
VA
Georgia Institute for Prevention of Human Diseases and Accidents, Augusta 30912, USA. vbarnes@mail.mcg.edu
Treiber
F A
FA
Musante
L
L
Turner
J R
JR
Davis
H
H
Strong
W B
WB
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American; D000886:Anthropometry; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012923:Social Class; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D044465:White People