Key result
Living at higher altitudes was significantly associated with increased systolic blood pressure in indigenous children, with mean levels of 86 mm Hg at 3750 m compared to 69 mm Hg at 1400 m.
Why the study?
The study was designed to compare blood pressure levels across Argentinean Indigenous schoolchildren from similar ethnic backgrounds living at three different altitudes.
Does living at higher altitude increase blood pressure levels in indigenous schoolchildren?
Cross-Sectional (n=399)
Simple randomization for school and children selection
Yes
Does living at higher altitude increase blood pressure levels in indigenous schoolchildren?
Effect estimate: beta 10.56
Absolute Event Rate: 86% vs 69%
p-value: p=<0.01
Living at higher altitudes is independently associated with significantly higher blood pressure levels in indigenous schoolchildren compared to those living at lower altitudes.
May prompt altitude-adjusted BP norms for indigenous children; leaves open longitudinal studies on causality and outcomes.
Objective: To compare blood pressure (BP) levels in three groups of Argentinean Indigenous schoolchildren from similar ethnic backgrounds but living at three different altitudes. Methods: A cross-sectional study compared 185 (83 females) children aged 5–14 years from San Antonio de los Cobres (SAC), 3750 m above sea level; 46 (23 females) from Cobres, 3450 m; and 167 (83 females) from Chicoana (CH), 1400 m. Anthropometric and BP measurements were performed. Results: The prevalence of overweight/obesity was lower in SAC (6.5% [12]) and Cobres (4.3% [2]) than in CH (24% [24]) (BMI > 85 percentile per CDC norms). Systolic BP increased significantly with altitude: (SAC 86 mm Hg, Cobres 77 mm Hg, and CH 69 mm Hg). Similar results were obtained with diastolic BP (SAC 57 mm Hg, Cobres 51 mm Hg, and CH 47 mm Hg) and with median arterial pressure (MAP) (SAC 67 mm Hg, Cobres 60 mm Hg, and CH 55 mm Hg). Multiple linear regression analyses showed that altitude was significantly and independently associated with children’s systolic BP (beta 10.56; R 2 = 0.40), diastolic BP (beta 6.27; R 2 = 0.25) and MAP (beta 7.69; R 2 = 0.32); adjusted for age, sex, and BMI. Conclusions: We found that as altitude increased, BP levels increased significantly in indigenous children from similar backgrounds living permanently at different altitudes.
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Hirschler et al. (2019) conducted a cross-sectional in Blood pressure (n=399). High altitude living (3450 m to 3750 m) vs. Lower altitude living (1400 m) was evaluated on Systolic blood pressure (beta 10.56, p=<0.01). Living at higher altitudes was significantly associated with increased systolic blood pressure in indigenous children, with mean levels of 86 mm Hg at 3750 m compared to 69 mm Hg at 1400 m.
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