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Evaluation of blood pressure/height ratio as an index to simplify diagnostic criteria of hypertension in Caucasian adolescents

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 25, pages 623–624 (2011)Cite this article

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In a recent issue of this journal, Lu and co-workers1 found that blood pressure/height ratio (BPHR) was a simple and accurate index for screening hypertension in Han adolescents. However, they suggested that this index had to be validated in other ethnic groups. We tested the applicability of this index on a population of 1413 Caucasian adolescents (705 females and 698 males, age range 12–15 years), evaluated in a cross-sectional population-based study conducted among students of public junior high schools of Turin, Italy.2 Hypertension was defined according to the 2004 National High Blood Pressure Education Program Working Group definition, and blood pressure measurements were performed according to the 2004 working group standards.3 The considered anthropometric parameters were height and weight: height, measured barefoot with a right-angle ruler placed on the top of the head and a tape measure fixed to the wall, and weight of barefoot, undressed child measured with an electronic scale. Obesity was defined by body mass index ⩾95th percentiles. BPHR was calculated as follows: SBPHR=SBP (mm Hg)/height (cm) and DBPHR=DBP (mm Hg)/height (cm). All measurements were performed during ordinary school time.

Statistical analyses were performed using the SAS V9 software.4 Mean and standard deviation of descriptive data were calculated. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to test the association between variables, in order to confirm the Chinese data. Prevalence of stage 1 and stage 2 hypertension was calculated according to the 2004 Working Group definition (gold standard) and BPHR cut-off points provided by Lu and co-workers;1 specificity and sensibility of the index applied in our population against the gold standard were calculated.

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References

  1. Lu Q, Ma CM, Yin FZ, Liu BW, Lou DH, Liu XL . How to simplify the diagnostic criteria of hypertension in adolescents. J Hum Hypertens 2011; 25 (3): 159–163.

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  2. Rabbia F, Grosso T, Cat Genova G, Conterno A, De Vito B, Mulatero P et al. Assessing resting heart rate in adolescents: determinants and correlates. J Hum Hypertens 2002; 16 (5): 327–332.

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  3. National High Blood Pressure Education Program Working Group on High Blood Pressure in Children Adolescents. The fourth report on the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of high blood pressure in children and adolescents. Pediatrics 2004; 114 (2 Suppl 4th Report): 555–576.

  4. SAS Institute Inc. SAS/STAT user’ s Guide. SAS Institute Inc.: Cary, NC, 1988.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine and Experimental Oncology, Division of Internal Medicine, Hypertension Unit, University Hospital ‘S Giovanni Battista’, Torino, Italy

    F Rabbia, S Totaro, E Testa, M Covella, E Berra & F Veglio

  2. Department of Paediatrics, University of Turin, Torino, Italy

    I Rabbone, M C Bertello, E Gioia & F Cerutti

Authors
  1. F Rabbia
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  2. I Rabbone
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  3. S Totaro
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  4. E Testa
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  5. M Covella
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  6. E Berra
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  7. M C Bertello
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  8. E Gioia
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  9. F Cerutti
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  10. F Veglio
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Correspondence to E Testa.

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Rabbia, F., Rabbone, I., Totaro, S. et al. Evaluation of blood pressure/height ratio as an index to simplify diagnostic criteria of hypertension in Caucasian adolescents. J Hum Hypertens 25, 623–624 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2011.32

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2011.32

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