Elevated Blood Pressure and Worsening Cardiac Damage During Adolescence.

Abstract

To examine the longitudinal course for the development of elevated blood pressure (BP)/hypertension and cardiac damage in adolescents. From the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, UK birth cohort, 1856 (1011 female) 17-year-old adolescents were followed up for 7 years. BP and echocardiography were assessed at ages 17 and 24 years. Elevated/hypertensive BP was defined as ≥130 mm Hg systolic and ≥85 mm Hg diastolic. Left ventricular (LV) mass indexed for height^2.7 (LVMI^2.7) ≥51 g/m^2.7 was defined as LV hypertrophy (LVH) and LV diastolic function (LVDF) E/A <1.5 as LVD dysfunction (LVDD). Data were analyzed with generalized logit mixed-effect models and cross-lagged structural equation temporal path models adjusting for cardiometabolic and lifestyle factors. Over follow-up, the prevalence of elevated systolic BP/hypertension increased from 6.4% to 12.2%, LVH from 3.6% to 7.2%, and LVDD from 11.1% to 16.3%. Cumulative elevated systolic BP/hypertension was associated with worsening LVH in female participants (OR 1.61, CI 1.43-1.80 P < .001) but not in male participants. Elevated systolic BP/hypertension was associated with worsening LVDD in male and female participants. Elevated diastolic BP/hypertension was associated with worsening LVH in male and female participants. In cross-lagged temporal path models, higher baseline systolic BP was associated with LVDF (β = 0.09, SE = 0.002, P = .029) but not LVMI^2.7 at follow-up. Higher baseline cardiac indices were not associated with follow-up systolic BP. Higher baseline diastolic BP was associated with follow-up higher cardiac indices except LVDF. Baseline LVMI^2.7 was not associated with follow-up diastolic BP. Elevated BP/hypertension may temporally precede premature cardiac damage in youth.