Mp. Borres et al., PSYCHOSOMATIC AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SYMPTOMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LOW BLOOD-PRESSURE IN SWEDISH SCHOOLCHILDREN, Psychotherapy and psychosomatics, 67(2), 1998, pp. 88-93
Background: The relation between psychosomatic and psychosocial sympto
ms and blood pressure was studied in Swedish schoolchildren. Methods:
Blood pressure was measured in 122 healthy Swedish schoolchildren, age
d 6-16 years. Psychosomatic and psychosocial symptoms, delinquent beha
viour, parental health and employment status were assessed. Results: C
hildren with systolic blood pressure above +1 SD of mean reported sign
ificantly less symptoms ((x) over bar = 1.4) than children with blood
pressure below -1 SD of the mean ((x) over bar = 2.7; p < 0.05). Child
ren with three or more self-reported symptoms had significantly lower
blood pressure than children without symptoms both in the supine (110
+/- 12 vs. 120 +/- 18 mm Hg; p < 0.05) and in the standing position (1
17 +/- 17 vs. 127 +/- 18 mm Hg; p < 0.05). Conclusions: We conclude th
at psychosomatic and psychosocial symptoms in children might be associ
ated with low blood pressure.