Blood pressure and echocardiographic measures in children of Tobago

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain blood pressure and echocardiographic measurements in Tobagonian children and to determine possible inter-relationships. DESIGN AND METHODS: Over the period 1994-1995, based on data from school enrolment in the area, we evaluated all the school children of Plymouth and Blackrock (n=338, 174 boys, 164 girls; age range 5-13 years). Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were taken using WHO guidelines, and echocardiographic measurements of heart size were obtained according to the recommendations of the American Society of Echocardiography and the data were analysed. RESULTS: Echocardiographic indices of left heart size varied as a function of blood pressure levels. Male subjects demonstrated significantly higher adjusted left ventricular mass, left ventricular wall thickness, and left ventricular chamber size. After adjustment for body size, blood pressure correlated with left ventricular wall stress (p<0.001). Systolic blood pressure correlated with left ventricular mass (p<0.05), and height correlated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrated that blood pressure in healthy Tobagonian children correlated with several measures of left ventricular size. Longitudinal studies are indicated.(Au)