Features of anxiety and arterial pressure level in children with chronic gastroduodenal pathology

Abstract

Context: The children of the school-age are most prone to the development of hypertension, which is determined by the characteristic disorders of the autonomic function for this period of childhood, which is accompanied by an increased level of anxiety. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the level of anxiety in the background of fluctuations of blood pressure (BP) in schoolchildren with chronic gastroduodenal pathology. Settings and Design: This was a cross-sectional study done in city children's clinical hospital conducted for 8 months. Subjects and Methods: One hundred and twenty children with chronic gastroduodenal pathology were examined. To assess the level of arterial hypertension by tonometry. Spielberger-Hanin scale was used to assess the level of personal and situational anxiety. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics and software used in the analysis was Statistica 12 (Statsoft, USA) and P < 0.05 was considered as the level of statistical significance. Results: In assessing the level of BP in children by percentile tables, it was found that in the second group there is a greater tendency to hypertension than in the first group, and in the children of second group, there were higher rates of both systolic and diastolic BP. In addition, children of the second group experienced an increase in both the personal and situational levels of anxiety. Conclusions: Children with chronic hyperplastic and erosive gastroduodenitis more often observed an increase in BP, also they experience significantly higher levels of both personal and situational anxiety.