As abnormalities in diurnal ambulatory blood pressure pared to normotensive subjects (17.1 ؎ 6.7 vs 14.6 ؎ 7.1 mm Hg; unadjusted mean ؎ s.d., P ‫؍‬ 0.022). Normo-(BP) have been associated with hypertensive target organ damage in adults, we investigated the diurnal systensive and hypertensive groups did not differ in nocturnal DBP fall or SBP or DBP night-day ratio. Race tolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) patterns of 54 normotensive children, age 13.4 ؎ 3.0 years, and 45 appeared to influence the diurnal BP pattern as black subjects had less nocturnal SBP fall (12.9 ؎ 6.9 vs untreated borderline and mildly hypertensive children, age 14.4 ؎ 2.6 years. Subjects wore the SpaceLabs 17.1 ؎ 6.5 mm Hg; P Ͻ 0.005) and a higher night-day SBP ratio (90.1 ؎ 5.3 vs 86.7 ؎ 4.6%; P Ͻ 0.005) than 90207 ambulatory BP monitor for 24 h. BP was measured q 15 min from 08.00-21.00 h then q 30 min from white subjects.In conclusion, hypertensive children and ado-21.00-08.00 h. Nocturnal BP fall, the night-day ratio and cusum derived measures were calculated from timelescents have a similar diurnal BP pattern as their normotensive counterparts, except that the entire BP proweighted daytime and night-time SBP and DBP. The groups were compared using analysis of covariance file is shifted upward with a greater absolute fall in SBP at night. Race also appears to influence the diurnal BP with adjustment for age, race, gender and body mass index. The influence of age, gender and race on the diurprofile of normotensive and hypertensive children and adolescents. nal BP profile was also examined.Nocturnal SBP fall was greater in hypertensive com-