AMBULATORY BLOOD-PRESSURE MONITORING IN HEALTHY SCHOOLCHILDREN

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was performed in 564 healt hy schoolchildren during normal circadian activities. The data of two cohorts (155 boys and 139 girls aged 9-13 years and 184 boys and 168 g irls with a body height between 120 and 155 cm) are presented. From th e age of 9 to 13 years the mean 24-h systolic/diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP) increases from 107 +/- 9/66 +/- 7 mmHg to 115 +/- 13/68 +/- 9 mmHg in boys and from 104 +/- 5/64 +/- 6 mmHg to 109 +/- 8/65 +/- 9 mmHg in girls. When related to body height the values rise from 105 /- 6/64 +/- 6 mmHg at 120 cm to 113 +/- 8/67 +/- 7 mmHg at 155 cm in b oys and from 100 +/- 7/65 +/- 7 mmHg to 112 +/- 9/66 +/- 9 mmHg in gir ls. In comparison with the casual blood pressure data obtained from Eu ropean studies, the presented ABPM values (daytime BP) are higher thro ughout, which may be explained by the increased activity during daytim e with ABPM. There is a mean difference of 4.4 mmHg in boys and of 3.0 mmHg in girls for SBP and of 10.8 mmHg in boys and of 9.0 mmHg in gir ls for DBP when related to age. In relation to body height, there is a mean difference of 4.4 mmHg in boys and of 3.5 mmHg in girls for SBP and of 10.9 mmHg in boys and of 10.5 mmHg in girls for DBP. We conclud e that standards derived from casual blood pressure measurements shoul d not be used for the evaluation of ABPM data.