Korean Circ J.  2006 Nov;36(11):744-752. 10.4070/kcj.2006.36.11.744.

Normal Blood Pressure Values and Percentile Curves in Children

• Hong YM
• Lee JY
• Jung JW
• Kim NS
• Noh CI
• Lee SY
• Lee HW

• KMID: 1938737
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2006.36.11.744

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
: The prevalence of pediatric hypertension appears to be increasing, and secondary hypertension is more common in children than in adults. Essential hypertension is increasing in obese adolescents. An elevated blood pressure (BP) during childhood is associated with premature cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in adulthood. Oscillometric devices are convenient and minimize observer error. The purposes of this study were to measure the BP, using an oscillometric device, in relation to age, sex, weight, height and body mass index (BMI), in normal school aged children, and to identify the 95 and 99 percentile values for the diagnosis of hypertension by age group.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
: Between May and June 2005, the oscillometric blood pressure was measured, using a Dinamap monitor (Procare-200, GE, USA), in 9,499 Seoul school children (male 4,993, female 4,506), aged 7-18 years. The BP was measured on the right arm, in the sitting position, using a BP cuff having a width of 40-50% of the arm circumference. The mean and 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 90, 95 and 99 percentile values and percentile curves of the systolic and diastolic BP were obtained in relation to age, sex, height, weight and BMI.
RESULTS
: The systolic and diastolic BP levels were significantly increased in relation to age, height, weight and BMI. A correlation analysis showed that the BP levels were significantly correlated with weight (r=0.553), followed by height (r=0.491), BMI (r=0.470) and age (r=0.445) in males, and significantly correlated with weight (r=0.332), followed by height (r=0.317), BMI (r=0.286) and age (r=0.213) in females.
CONCLUSION
: Percentile values and percentile curves for the systolic and diastolic BP were obtained in normal children. These data will be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric hypertension.

Keyword

Blood pressure; Children; Hypertension

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Arm
Blood Pressure*
Body Mass Index
Child*
Diagnosis
Female
Humans
Hypertension
Male
Mortality
Prevalence
Seoul