https://imcjms.com Ibrahim Medical College Journal of Medical Science https://imcjms.com/registration/journal_full_text/34 Tue, 02 Aug 2016 09:14:06 +0000 In Bangladesh, limited data are available on paediatric hypertension as well as their normal values. This study was done to assess the level of blood pressure in this population group. A total of 1118 students from class I to X of a selected school were measured twice for systolic and diastolic BP within five minutes interval following a standard protocol. The phase V diastolic blood pressure was recorded. The average of two readings was taken. Age was obtained from the school records. The mean age was 10.53 (± 0.09) years and 46.9% of the recruited students were females. The mean (±SE) and median of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 97.89 (±0.39) and 97.50 mm Hg and 57.58 (±0.39) and 60.00 mm Hg, respectively. Boys had a significantly higher systolic (99.34 ± 0.56 mm Hg) and diastolic (62.59 ± 0.41 mm Hg) blood pressure than the girls (96.78 ± 0.50 mm Hg systolic BP and 51.54 ± 0.55 mm Hg diastolic BP; P<0.001). Systolic blood pressure was found to be positively correlated with age, height and weight and diastolic blood pressure was correlated with height and weight. Although this study gave us an insight into the paediatric BP situation in a particular school, a community based study with representative sample is recommended to develop a reference data on paediatric blood pressure for our country. Ibrahim Med. Coll. J. 2010; 4(1): 9-12 Introduction The long-term natural history of blood pressure is not well understood. The level is considerably lower in children than the adults and increases steadily throughout the first two decades of life. A direct relation between weight and blood pressure has been documented as early as five years of age and is more prominent in the second decade. Height is independently related to blood pressure at all ages. Sex does not have the same impact on blood pressure in children as in adults.1 Systolic (1-17 years): 100 ± (Age in years x 2) Diastolic (11-17 years): 70 ± (Age in years)   This cross-sectional study to measure the blood pressure levels of the school students of Dhaka city was conducted in Government Gono-Bhaban High School, Dhaka. One thousand one hundred and eighteen healthy students from Class I-X who were available and willing to participate were included in the study. To rule out known disease conditions, students were asked a few screening questions before recruitment. Data were analyzed using the software SPSS PC. Body Mass Index (BMI) and height for age percentile was calculated using the software Epi Info. Results     Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure was seen to have a cubic association with height (the correlation coefficient were 0.454 and 0.178, respectively). Systolic blood pressure had a linear (r = .551) and diastolic blood pressure had a cubic relation (r = .204) with weight. The 50th and 90th percentile of blood pressure by age, sex and 50th percentile of height-for-age are shown in Tables 2 and 3. Due to low number of samples, data has not been shown in some age and sex categories. Table-2: Systolic Blood Pressure of School Children by Age and Sex     Discussion South Asian children have a higher body-mass-adjusted blood pressure level than white children in the United States. The mean BMI-adjusted systolic blood pressure levels (±SD) were 100 (11) versus 99 (11) mm Hg (P<0.001), and diastolic blood pressure levels (±SD) were 63 (10) versus 52 (12) mm Hg (P<0.001) in South Asian versus US children, respectively. The current study findings do not match with these data, probably because it included school children from low socio-economic background. Conclusion   1.   Sinaiko AR. Hypertension in children. NEJM 1996; 335(26): 1968-73. 3.   Bianchetti MG, Ardissino G, Fossali E, Ramelli GP, Salice P. Tips for the use of antihypertensive drugs: DELTAREPROSI [editorials] J. Pediatr 2004; 145: 288-90. 5.   Thakor HG, Kumar P, Desai VK. Effect of physical and mental activity on blood pressure. Indian J Pediatr 2004; 71(4): 307-12. 7.   Munter P, He J, Cutler JA, Whelton PK. Trends in blood pressure among children and adolescents. JAMA 2004; 291(17): 2107-13. 2026 Ibrahim Medical College. All rights reserved.