Blood pressure in nuns in a secluded order: A 30-year follow-up

The powerful effect of psychosocial and acculturating influences on populat ion blood pressure trends seems to be confirmed, through longitudinal obser vations, in the nuns in a secluded order. After initial observations had be en made on culture, body form, blood pressure, diet, and other variables in 144 nuns and 138 lay women, included as a control group, a 30-yearfollow-u p study was undertaken. Most striking were opposite trends noted between th e two groups in blood pressure trend. During the follow-up period, blood pr essure remained remarkably stable among the nuns. None showed an increase i n diastolic blood pressure over 90 mm Hg. By contrast, the control women sh owed the expected increase in blood pressure with age. This resulted in a g radually greater difference (Delta>30/15 mm Hg) in systolic and diastolic b lood pressure between the two groups, which was statistically significant. In addition, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, expressed as the outco me of fatal and nonfatal events, were different in the two groups. They wer e significantly more common in the lay women than in the nuns. Comparisons between survivalcurves were statistically significant (p=0.0043 for fatal e vents; p=0.0056 for nonfatal events) between the two groups. In conclusion, it seems reasonable to attribute much of the difference in blood pressure and cardiovascular events, to the different burden in psychosocial factor a nd to the preserved peaceful lifestyle of the nuns.