Blood pressure measurements in Israeli Arab children and adolescents

Background: Hypertension is one of the most prevalent vascular diseases in the adult population. It is an important determinant of atherosclerosis in adolescents and young adults. There is to date no information on blood pres sure in children of the Israeli Arab population. Objectives: To study blood pressure in Israeli Arab children and adolescent s. Methods: Blood pressure measurements were taken in the supine position in 4 ,488 Israeli Arab children and adolescents of both sexes aged 6-17 years. H eight and weight were also determined. Correlation was investigated between systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, gender, and age. Results: The systolic and diastolic blood pressures were similar in both se xes for all age groups up to 14 years of age. Systolic blood pressure was s ignificantly (P<0.001) higher in males aged 15-17 years (120+/-13 vs. 111+/ -12 mmHg, 123+/-13 vs. 113+/-14.0 mmHg, and 123+/-18 vs. 111+/-14 mmHg, res pectively). Diastolic blood pressure was higher in males aged 15-17, with a statistically significant difference for age 17 only (75+/-12 vs. 69+/-13 mmHg). Blood pressure was elevated in 322 students in the initial screening (7.17%), with a decrease to 2.18% when this group was rescreened 2 weeks l ater. The systolic blood pressure in our group is higher than that in Jewis h Israeli children of Asian and North African origin, and in American child ren. It is similar to the systolic blood pressure of European children and Jewish children born in Israel. The diastolic blood pressure in our group i s higher than that in all groups of Israeli Jewish children and American ch ildren of different ethnic groups. Conclusions: Israeli Arab children and adolescents have higher blood pressu re levels than their Israeli Jewish counterparts. Further studies are requi red to confirm this observation.