title: Prevalence of persistent prehypertension in adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure the prevalence of persistent prehypertension in adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected demographic and anthropometric data and 4 oscillometric blood pressure (BP) measurements on 1020 students. The mean of the second, third, and fourth BP measurements determined each student's BP status per visit, with up to 3 total visits. Final BP status was classified as normal (BP <90th percentile and 120/80 mm Hg at the first visit), variable (BP ≥ 90th percentile or 120/80 mm Hg at the first visit and subsequently normal), abnormal (BP ≥ 90th percentile or 120/80 mm Hg at 3 visits but not hypertensive), or hypertensive (BP ≥ 95th percentile at 3 visits). The abnormal group included those with persistent prehypertension (BP ≥ 90th percentile or 120/80 mm Hg and <95th percentile on 3 visits). Statistical analysis allowed for comparison of groups and identification of characteristics associated with final BP classification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1010 students analyzed, 71.1% were classified as normal, 15.0% as variable, 11.5% as abnormal, and 2.5% as hypertensive. The prevalence of persistent prehypertension was 4.0%. Obesity similarly affected the odds for variable BP (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 2.5-6.0) and abnormal BP (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 2.0-5.9), and dramatically increased the odds for hypertension (OR, 38.4; 95% CI, 9.4-156.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Almost 30% of the students had at least one elevated BP measurement significantly influenced by obesity. Treating obesity may be essential to preventing prehypertension and/or hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, Temple, TX, USA. aacosta@swmail.sw.org
authors.forename: Alisa A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.forename: Joshua A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Samuels
authors.forename: Ronald J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Portman
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Redwine
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D058246:Prehypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012572:School Health Services; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data