Nutrition status and 24-hour blood pressure parameters in hospitalised adolescents with primary hypertension

• Main Authors: Anna Obuchowicz, Beata Kaźmierczak-Pilch, Joanna Żmudzińska-Kitczak, Katarzyna Urban, Beata Jarecka, Jolanta Pietrzak
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Medical Communications Sp. z o.o. 2016-12-01
• Series: Pediatria i Medycyna Rodzinna
• Subjects: adolescents; hypertension; nutrition status; 24-hour blood pressure monitoring; hospitalisation
• Online Access: http://www.pimr.pl/index.php/issues/2016-vol-12-no-4/nutrition-status-and-24-hour-blood-pressure-parameters-in-hospitalised-adolescents-with-primary-hypertension?aid=1002

The occurrence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents can be associated with increased incidence of hypertension in this population. Aim of the study: Assessment of the relationship between 24-hour blood pressure parameters in hospitalised teenagers with primary hypertension and their nutrition status at the stage of diagnosis. Material and methods: The study group consisted of 112 patients aged 11–17 years (42 girls and 70 boys) with diagnosed primary hypertension. Nutrition indicators were taken into account. The study group was divided into group I – persons with normal nutrition status (40 patients) and group II – persons with overweight/obesity (72 patients). The groups were compared using the t-test with a separate variance estimation or with the Mann–Whitney U test. The relationship between blood pressure parameters and nutrition status indicators was assessed based on Spearman’s rank correlation. Results: The study groups were significantly different in terms of the nutrition status indicators, but no significant differences were observed in the evaluated blood pressure parameters. The nutrition status indicators in group I were not significantly correlated with the blood pressure parameters. Significant correlations were found in group II. Positive correlation with the nutrition indicators were observed for nocturnal systolic blood pressure load and average nighttime value of this load. Body mass index exhibited a negative correlation with nocturnal systolic load decline. Conclusions: 1) 24-hour blood pressure parameters in hospitalised adolescents with primary hypertension that correlated with the nutrition status include nighttime systolic blood pressure parameters (nocturnal load, mean measure, nocturnal fall). 2) The relationship of these parameters with the nutrition status was observed only in patients with overweight/obesity.