Abstract
Studies suggest that chronic adult residents at high altitude have lower blood pressures than comparable individuals living at sea level. 2780 children aged 6-20 yrs., living near sea level (el. 36 ft) or at high altitude (el. 10,200 ft) had indirect systemic blood pressure measured with standardized techniques. Korotkoff 1-4-5 sounds, morphometric measures (ht., wt., triceps skinfold thickness), pulse, age, sex, and ethnic origin (white-Hispanic) were recorded. A 3 factor analysis of variance was used separately for each of the 3 dependent variables - Korotkoff 1-4-5 sounds. The 3 main factors in this model were elev., sex, and race. In addition, age and Quetelet index were used in all of the analysis as covariables. These 2 covariables were selected from among 4 initial candidates - age, QI, skinfold, and pulse - on the basis of separate multiple regressions done for each elev.,sex, and race combination. The P values quoted in this abstract are based upon appropriate F-statistic from the analysis of variance table. Children at all ages living at altitude had significantly lower (p < .001) Korotkoff 1-4-5 values than children at sea level. Hispanic children had significantly lower blood pressures (p < .001) than white children. The mechanism of the blood pressure lowering effect of chronic altitude residence remains speculative but higher pulse rate at altitude suggests that cardiopulmonary conditioning isn't an important factor.
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Wolfe, R., Murphy, J. 168 CHRONIC HIGH ALTITUDE RESIDENCE AND SYSTEMIC BLOOD PRESSURE IN SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 391 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00173
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00173