Blood pressure tracking in Japanese adolescents Five-year follow-up in Hisayama, Japan.

Blood pressures (BPs) were measured with standardized sphygmomanometers in 434 Japanese boys and girls living in the town of Hisayama. Simultaneously, data on pulse rate, weight and height were obtained. Out of the original 434 subjects, data were obtained repeatedly for 5 years in 280 subjects. BP levels were significantly correlated with weight in those aged 14-15 and also 19-20 years, but correlation coefficients were small. During the 5-year period, the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP & DBP) increased significantly in both sexes, but the increments were greater in boys. Both SBP and DBP at 14-15 years of age were significantly correlated with data taken 5 years later for both sexes, and subjects with a higher initial BP (more than 90th percentile of the distribution) tended to have a higher BP after 5 years. SBPs after 5 years were independently correlated with initial SBP levels and changes in QI (D-QI) in both sexes. On the other hand, DBPs after 5 years were independently correlated with initial DBP levels and height for boys, and initial DBP levels and D-QI for girls.