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Blood pressure and urinary excretion of electrolytes in Spanish schoolchildren

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 16, pages 473–478 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Despite the importance of hypertension in adults, its effects on child health are poorly understood. This cross-sectional epidemiological study was designed to look for a relationship between elevated blood pressure (BP) in children and 24-h urinary excretion of sodium (Na) and potassium (K), and between BP and dietary salt intake. The study population was all 59 856 schoolchildren aged 6 to 14 years in the province of Almería in southern Spain, among whom 613 participants were chosen randomly for study. We measured 24-h urinary Na and K concentrations, systolic and diastolic BP, body weight and height. There was a weak correlation between Na excretion and systolic BP (r = 0.18, 95% confidence interval 0.10–0.26), and between K excretion and systolic BP (r = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.04–0.20). Body weight was the variable that best correlated with systolic (r = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.43–0.55) and diastolic BP, and with Na excretion (r = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.42–0.55). Multiple regression analysis also showed that body weight was the variable that best correlated with systolic BP (b = 0.58), although the variables in the equation explained little of the total variability in BP (26%). These correlations were significant at P < 0.05. In conclusion urinary electrolytes correlated poorly with BP in a sample of Spanish schoolchildren. Body weight was the only variable that showed a weak relationship with BP and Na excretion.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Junta de Andalucia (Spain) through Project no. CTS146. We thank E Velasco for her valuable assistance in the translation and preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hypertension Unit, University Hospital of Granada, Spain

    A Maldonado-Martín, B Gil-Extremera, A Soria-Bonilla & M R Javier-Martínez

  2. Grupo Alcazaba de Hipertensión, Paseo de Almería 39, Almería, 11-H, 04001, Spain

    L García-Matarín, C Avivar-Oyonarte, M E García-Granados, F Gil-García, J Latorre-Hernández, J Miró-Gutiérrez & J Vergara-Martín

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  1. A Maldonado-Martín
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Correspondence to B Gil-Extremera.

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Maldonado-Martín, A., García-Matarín, L., Gil-Extremera, B. et al. Blood pressure and urinary excretion of electrolytes in Spanish schoolchildren. J Hum Hypertens 16, 473–478 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001424

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