Prepubertal stature and blood pressure in early old age

Aims-To test the hypothesis that childhood growth rate is a marker for form ation of control mechanisms that influence blood pressure in early old age. Methods-Data are from a sample of 149 (74 male) members of Sir John Boyd Or r's survey of British families conducted between 1937 and 1939. Measured he ights were collected between ages 5 and 8 years, and in early old age betwe en 1997 and 1998. Multiple linear regression investigated the relations of blood pressure with age and sex standardised childhood height with adjustme nt for potential confounding factors, including adult height. Inclusion of both childhood and adult heights in the same model was used to estimate gro wth, as measures of childhood height are relative to adult height. Results-Mean blood pressures in early old age for those in the shortest chi ldhood height fifth were 167.8 and 76.3 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure a nd pulse pressure, respectively. For the tallest fifth they were 150.8 and 63.7 nun Hg, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounding facto rs including adult height, the mean increase for the shortest childhood hei ght fifth compared with the tallest was 28.5 mm Hg for systolic pressure (p = 0.015) and 22.8 mm Hg (p = 0.010) for pulse pressure. The relations of b lood pressure with adult height were not statistically significant in the a djusted models. Conclusion-Prepubertal growth rate is associated with the formation of mech anisms associated with the control of blood pressure in later life.