Blood pressure and sexual maturity in adolescents: The Heartfelt Study

Abstract

This study investigates sexual maturity as a predictor of resting blood pressures independent of other known predictors, in 179 boys and 204 girls 11-16 years of age from the Heartfelt Study. The sample included youth of African (n = 140), Mexican (n = 117), and European and "other" (n = 126) backgrounds. Sexual maturity was assessed during clinical examination of three standard indicators for each sex. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were higher in children of maturity stages IV and V, compared to stages I-III, in each gender/ethnic group (P < 0.01 in almost all groups). Boys and girls advanced in sexual maturity for their age group, had significantly higher systolic blood pressures (but not diastolic) than the less advanced in linear models that included height, body mass index (BMI), ethnicity, and age as co-predictors. Diastolic blood pressures were predicted by height in boys and by age and the BMI in girls. This analysis, using a very conservative approach, suggests that sexual maturity provides important and independent information on systolic blood pressure in adolescents. Further investigation of its role in 24-hr blood pressures and in blood pressures taken during physical and emotional stress, is recommended.

Utility of different body composition indicators: demographic influences and associations with blood pressures and heart rates in adolescents (Heartfelt Study)

“…For purposes of the present analysis, subjects in the 'other' category are grouped with 'White'. Children of the study are comparable in height, weight and body mass index to other groups of North American children of the same age and ethnicity (Cho et al 2001). …”

“…Perhaps talking blood pressures depend more on the emotional state of the person during talking or on the work of speaking and marshalling energy for communication than on growth or maturity. Diastolic blood pressures are not as body size/ composition dependent as systolic blood pressures, and the first factor (talking) is weighted towards diastolic blood pressures (Cho et al 2001, Mueller et al 2001b. Heart rates (factor 3) are related to all BCIs that reflect fatness, but not FFM.…”

“…The Heartfelt study is an investigation of cardiovascular function and blood pressure reactivity in Black, White and Hispanic children 11-16 years of age residing in Houston, Texas, USA (Meininger et al 1998, Cho et al 2001, Mueller et al 2001a). Houston has a population of nearly 2 million people and is ethnically diverse where 26% identify themselves as black and 37% Hispanic, primarily MexicanAmerican.…”

“…Age at last birthday of each subject was determined and sexual maturity assessed by physical examination-genital (boys) and breast development (girls) (Mueller et al 2001a). Sexual maturity scores were adjusted for age by subtracting the mean score for that child's age group and sex from the child's score thus creating an age-independent ordinal variable (Cho et al 2001).…”

Fatores de risco para a elevação da pressão arterial em adolescentes

“…• Neste estudo não foi avaliado o processo de maturação sexual e sua influência na pressão arterial, alguns estudos 38,39 indicam que no período de desenvolvimento dos adolescentes há uma alteração nos níveis pressóricos;…”