Epidemiology of hypertension among a population of school children in Sousse, Tunisia.
BACKGROUND
Pediatric hypertension is a field of increasing interest and importance. Early identification of children at risk for hypertension is important to prevent the serious, long-term complications associated with the condition. In Tunisia, there are no data available on the cardiovascular disease risk profile, such as hypertension, in the population of children.


OBJECTIVE
To establish the prevalence of hypertension, the percentile distribution of blood pressure and the inter-relationships between hypertension and other cardiovascular disease risk factors among school children.


METHODS
An epidemiological survey was conducted based on a representative sample of 1569 urban school children in Sousse, Tunisia.


RESULTS
The prevalence of arterial hypertension was 9.6%, with no significant difference between boys (9.2%) and girls (9.9%). The prevalence of systolic and diastolic hypertension was 6.4% and 4.5%, respectively. In both boys and girls, systolic pressure had a highly significant positive correlation with height (boys: r=0.33, P<0.001; girls: r=0.08, P=0.02), weight (boys: r=0.47, P < or = 0.001; girls: r=0.35, P<0.001) and triglyceride concentrations (boys: r=0.13, P<0.001; girls: r=0.10, P=0.006). Among boys, a positive correlation was found between systolic blood pressure and age (r=0.12, P=0.001) and, among girls, a negative correlation was found (r=-0.12, P=0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
This information will be used to help launch a regional program of heart health promotion in schools.
Harrabi
Imed
I
Service of Epidemiology, University Hospital Farhat Hached, Sousse, Tunisia. imed_Harrabi@yahoo.fr
Belarbia
Anis
A
Gaha
Rafika
R
Essoussi
Ahmed S
AS
Ghannem
Hassen
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D014280:Triglycerides