Essential hypertension predicted by tracking of elevated blood pressure from childhood to adulthood the bogalusa heart study.

The persistence of elevated blood pressure (BP) from childhood to adulthood and its progression to essential hypertension are demonstrated in a longitudinal cohort (N = 1505, initial age 5–14 years) followed for 15 years. The persistence of BP was shown by significant correlations between childhood and adulthood levels (r = 0.36–0.50 for systolic BP and r = 0.20–0.42 for diastolic BP), stronger in older subjects. Twice the expected number of children (40% for systolic BP and 37% for diastolic BP) with levels in the highest quintile remained there 15 years later. Furthermore, childhood BP was most predictive of the follow-up BP level, followed by change in body mass index and weight. Subsequently in adulthood, clinically diagnosed hypertension was much more prevalent in subjects with high baseline BP: 3.6 times (18% vs 5%) for systolic BP and 2.6 times (15% vs 5.8%) for diastolic BP. Of the 116 hypertensive subjects, 48% and 41% had elevated systolic and diastolic BP, respectively, as children. Enhanced by multiple examinations, the likelihood of detection increased with the risk of hypertension, and 83% of the hypertensive would be detected at least once. Thus, adult onset hypertension can be identified in childhood, especially with repeated measurements.