Longitudinal association of cardiovascular reactivity and blood pressure in Samoan adolescents

Objective: The longitudinal association between blood pressure (BP) reactiv ity to a video game and resting BP 3 to 4 years later was investigated in 8 3 Samoan adolescents from American and (Western) Samoa as part of a multidi sciplinary study of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in modern Samoans. Me thods: Participants ranged in age from 11 to 14 years at baseline, in 1992 to 1993, and 14 to 18 years at follow-up in 1996. Video game BP reactivity was defined as the residual score of the regression of the maximum BP durin g the video game on the minimum resting BP before the video game. The predi ctive effect of baseline video game BP reactivity on follow-up resting BP w as tested using regression models with baseline resting BP, baseline body m ass index (BMI), and age as covariates. Results: Systolic BP reactivity to the video game at baseline was significantly, p = .04, and independently as sociated with resting systolic BP 3 to 4 years later. Samoan adolescents wh o had higher systolic BP reactivity scores at baseline had significantly hi gher resting systolic BP at follow-up after adjustment for the significant effects of baseline resting systolic BP, age, and BMT. There were no intera ctions between sex and reactivity or between residence, American Samoa or ( Western) Samoa, and reactivity in the models, indicating that the effects o f systolic BP reactivity in early adolescence on later adolescent resting s ystolic BP were similar in the entire study sample, Conclusions: Video game cardiovascular reactivity seems to assess aspects of psychophysiological a rousal and prospective CVD risk in Samoan adolescents of both sexes residin g in both Samoas, and may be useful for understanding the role of psychosoc ial stress and health in modernizing societies.