Abstract
Background: Elevated blood pressure (BP) is associated with target organ damage, such as left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), in childhood. However, it is unclear if children who resolve elevated BP have reduced levels of left ventricular mass index (LVMI). This study aimed to examine the association between change in BP status over 2 years and LVMI among Chinese children.Methods: Data were from 1,183 children aged 6–11 years at baseline in 2017 who were followed up in 2019 in the Huantai Childhood Cardiovascular Health Cohort Study. Change in BP status over 2 years from baseline to follow-up was categorized as: persistent normal BP, resolved elevated BP (elevated BP at baseline, normal BP at follow-up), incident elevated BP (normal BP at baseline, elevated BP at follow-up), and persistent elevated BP. Elevated BP status was defined according to national reference standards as systolic or diastolic BP levels ≥ sex-, age-, and height-specific 95th percentiles.Results: LVMI levels were lowest in children with persistent normal BP (30.13 g/m2.7), higher in those with incident elevated BP (31.27 g/m2.7), and highest in those with persistent elevated BP (33.26 g/m2.7). However, LVMI levels in those who had resolved elevated BP (30.67 g/m2.7) were similar to those with persistent normal BP. In the fully adjusted model, compared with children with persistent normal BP, those with persistent elevated BP and incident elevated BP had higher LVMI at follow-up (ß = 3.131, p < 0.001; ß = 1.143, p = 0.041, respectively). In contrast, those who had resolved elevated BP did not have a significantly higher LVMI (ß = 0.545, p = 0.194) than those with persistent normal BP.Conclusion: Developing or maintaining elevated BP over a 2-year period in childhood associated with higher levels of LVMI, but those able to resolve their elevated BP status over the same period had LVMI levels that were similar with those who had normal BP at both time points. Thus, it is important to identify children with elevated BP at early time and to take effective measures to lower their BP levels, thereby reducing high LVMI levels and related cardiovascular diseases in the future.
Highlights
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), a preclinical marker of cardiovascular damage, is an important risk factor for cardiovascular events and mortality [1]
After excluding participants who had missing information on the variables of interest at either baseline or follow-up (n = 332), a total of 1,183 children with complete data on age, sex, height, weight, systolic blood pressure (BP) (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), sleep duration, physical activity, intake of fruit and vegetables, intake of carbonated soft drink at both time points, and who had Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) measured at follow-up, were included in the analysis sample
Children with persistent elevated BP had the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity at both baseline and follow-up, while those with persistent normal BP had the lowest prevalence
Summary
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), a preclinical marker of cardiovascular damage, is an important risk factor for cardiovascular events and mortality [1]. The Beijing BP Cohort study has examined the association between change in BP status from childhood to adulthood and LVMI in adulthood, which showed that if children with elevated BP had normal BP in adulthood, the risk of high LVMI in adulthood was similar to those that had normal BP in both childhood and adulthood [13] It is unclear whether this finding is observed over a shorter time period in childhood. Elevated blood pressure (BP) is associated with target organ damage, such as left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), in childhood It is unclear if children who resolve elevated BP have reduced levels of left ventricular mass index (LVMI). This study aimed to examine the association between change in BP status over 2 years and LVMI among Chinese children
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
