Practice Change Needed for the Identification of Pediatric Hypertension in Marginalized Populations: An Example From South Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Hypertension in children has increased globally over the past 20 years; yet, little is known about this issue among disadvantaged communities from low- and middle-income countries. Age-, sex-, and height-adjusted normative tables are the "gold" standard for the diagnosis and estimation of pediatric hypertension worldwide, but it is unclear whether the use of international standards is appropriate for all contexts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare different international references to identify hypertension among South African school-aged children from disadvantaged communities.

Methods

Blood pressure, weight, and height were measured in a cohort of 897 children aged 8-16 years from eight peri-urban schools in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

SUBMITTER: Arnaiz P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9130957 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature