OS 09-01 PREVALENCE OF HYPERTENSION AFTER THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS AMONG CHINESE CHILDREN: A NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE CROSS-SECTION SURVEY.

OBJECTIVE: It was recommended that the diagnosis of hypertension among children should be established on at least three separate occasions. However, the national prevalence of hypertension after three separate occasions was scant in China. The goal of our study was to determine the prevalence of hypertension on up to three separate visits in a Chinese pediatric population, and examined the association between hypertension and weight status.

DESIGN AND METHOD: Data were obtained from a national representative sample of 43304 children aged 6-17 years. Initial measurements included height, weight, and three oscillometric blood pressure readings. Repeat measurements were obtained on two subsequent occasions in children with persistently elevated blood pressure. Hypertension was defined as elevated blood pressure on three separate occasions. Non-overweight, overweight and obese status was evaluated based on age- and sex-specific BMI percentiles as recommended by the International Obesity Task Force. Trend in prevalence of hypertension on different weight status was assessed by multiple logistical regression model controlling for sex, age and other covariates.

RESULTS: The prevalence of elevated blood pressure on three separate occasions decreased dramatically (16.6%, 7.3% and 4.2%). Isolated systolic hypertension was the most frequent subtype of childhood hypertension (67.4%). The prevalence of hypertension after three separate occasions increased significantly with increasing weight status (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates the importance of confirming hypertension on multiple separate occasions and demonstrates that isolated systolic hypertension occurs commonly in childhood. In addition, preventing obesity is the key to promote cardiovascular health in childhood.