Using blood pressure height index to define hypertension among secondary school adolescents in southwestern Uganda

The utility of resting pulse rate in defining high blood pressure among adolescents in Mbarara municipality, Uganda

High resting pulse rate (RPR) is associated with adverse cardiovascular events and could be used as a marker of cardiovascular health. We determined the correlation between RPR and blood pressure (BP); and its accuracy in defining high blood pressure among adolescents attending secondary schools in Mbarara municipality, south-western Uganda. We conducted a cross-sectional study among secondary school adolescents aged 12-19 years in Mbarara municipality, Uganda. We captured demographic characteristics using a structured questionnaire; and measured anthropometric indices and BP. We performed a linear regression analysis to determine the relationship between RPR and blood pressure and plotted receiver operating characteristics curves (ROC) to assess the accuracy of RPR in defining high BP. We enrolled 616 adolescents with a mean age of 15.6 ± 2.0 years and 65.6% (404/616) were female. The RPR was significantly correlated with diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in both boys (Beta = 0.22 [95% CI: 0.10; 0.36]), p < 0.001 and girls (Beta = 0.51 [95% CI: 0.43; 0.60]), p < 0.001. RPR was significantly correlated with systolic blood pressure (SBP) only in the girls (Beta = 0.23 [95% CI: 0.15; 0.30]), p < 0.001. The optimal threshold for RPR in defining prehypertension was RPR ≥ 76 bpm with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.653 [95% CI: 0.583-0.722], the sensitivity of 0.737 and specificity of 0.577. In defining hypertension, the optimal threshold was RPR ≥ 79 bpm at a sensitivity of 0.737 and specificity of 0.719, with an AUC of 0.728 [95% CI: 0.624-0.831]. Resting pulse rate was positively correlated with BP and was more accurate in defining hypertension compared to prehypertension in the study.

Relationship of anthropometric indices with rate pressure product, pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure among secondary adolescents of 12-17 years

OBJECTIVES

To determine the correlation between anthropometric indices and the selected hemodynamic parameters among secondary adolescents aged 12-17 years.

RESULTS

Our findings showed weak positive correlation between generally body surface area, neck circumference and conicity index with the hemodynamic parameters (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, resting pulse rate, mean arterial pressure, rate pressure product and pulse pressure). However, the ponderosity index, body mass index and waist hip ratio showed negative weak correlations with the hemodynamic parameters. There was a significant difference in pulse pressure among the BMI categories. All parameters showed significant (p < 0.05) differences across the categories of neck circumference and waist hip ratio. Generally, in multivariate regression analysis, anthropometric indices showed significant prediction of the hemodynamic parameters.

Prevalence of hypertension in relation to anthropometric indices among secondary adolescents in Mbarara, Southwestern Uganda

Background

Studies investigating the prevalence of hypertension and its correlation with anthropometric indices among adolescents are still scarce compared to those conducted in adults of greater than 40 years. So far, no other study estimating the prevalence and correlates of hypertension among adolescents in Uganda has been found.

Objective

The purpose of this study, therefore, was to asses the prevalence of hypertension and its correlation with anthropometric indices among adolescents in Mbarara Municipality, southwestern Uganda.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out among 616 secondary school adolescents aged 12–19 years in Mbarara Municipality, Uganda. Blood pressure and anthropometric indices were determined by standard methods. In the statistical analysis, linear regression analysis was done to assess the relationship between blood pressure and anthropometric indices.

Results

Overall prevalence of hypertension among adolescents was at 3.1% (n = 19) while prehypertension was 7.1% (n = 44). There was a statistically significant correlation between blood pressure, neck circumference, waist to hip ratio and body mass index at bivariate analysis. In multivariate analysis for anthropometric indices and sex, only neck circumference remained significantly correlated with blood pressure (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The prevalence of hypertension among adolescents in the study setting was low. An increase in neck circumference results in an increase in blood pressure among adolescents.

The intake assessment of diverse dietary patterns on childhood hypertension: alleviating the blood pressure and lipidemic factors with low-sodium seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids

BACKGROUND

Childhood hypertension (CH) is related to the dietary intake and diversity of children. The study aimed to assess the critical role of dietary diversity, and seafood long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFAs) in reducing CH among the Iranian community.

METHODS

A cross-sectional two-phase study with 7-12-year-old Iranian students was designed. In the initial phase, the socio-demographic characteristics, and blood pressure status (normal, pre-hypertension, and hypertension) based on systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure data were assessed. The 24-h dietary recall questionnaire was used to generate the dietary diversity score (DDS, count of consumed food groups) and dietary variety score (DVS, the cumulative number of daily consumed food items). In the second phase, the association between CH reduction and changes in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides (TG) levels of schoolchildren intervened by a seafood diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids were assessed using the regression analyses.

RESULTS

The pre-hypertension and hypertension prevalence rates were 7.8 and 9.15%, respectively. CH was significantly associated with age, gender, and DDS. A significant inverse association was found between the high intake of seafood and CH (P = 0.032). The gas-chromatography analysis showed the high presence of α-linolenic (ALA, 6.72%), eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 7.62%), docosapentaenoic (DPA, 5.88%), and docosahexaenoic (DHA, 18.52%) acids in the seafood-based diet (p <  0.05). The low blood pressure levels with regular consumption of this healthy-functional diet were significantly associated with a reduction in BMI, LDL, TC, and TG, and a remarkable increase in 25OHD and HDL levels. The multiple linear regression showed that the SBP was highly associated with the TC (p <  0.001; β = 0.464).

CONCLUSIONS

The age and DDS were efficient predictors for the different CH status. A regular seafood-rich dietary pattern due to the high LC n-3 PUFAs contents could significantly reduce the obesity-related cardiovascular risk factors.