AFRICA Cardiovascular Journal of Africa • SAHS Biennial Congress 2024 14 Submission ID: 1633 Introduction Childhood-onset hypertension which tracks into adulthood is on the rise globally. Identifying the risk factors for primary hypertension in children remain epidemiologically relevant to develop early intervention and prevention strategies that will mitigate premature hypertension onset. This study explored the changes in blood pressure in South African children over a four-year period and tested the predictive value of individual and composite baseline risk factors for elevated blood pressure. Methods We included 767 healthy Black and White children with both baseline (mean age = 7 years) and follow-up (mean age = 11 years) data. Office blood pressure, anthropometry, cardiorespiratory fitness, health-related quality of life, food intake and urinary biomarkers were measured. Children were stratified into groups according to blood pressure status as determined by the 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics clinical practice guidelines. Individual baseline risk factors and composite risk factor patterns (obtained by exploratory factor analyses) were used to predict follow-up blood pressure status using Cox-proportional hazard ratios. Results The prevalence of elevated blood pressure increased by 5% over four-years. High-intensity physical activity (OR: 1.69; p= 0.024) and higher BMI-z score (OR: 2.68; p<0.001) cross-sectionally increased the odds of having baseline elevated blood pressure. Additionally, White ethnicity (HR: 2.00; p=0.028), higher BMI-z score (HR: 1.44; p=0.044), higher sugar-sweetened beverage intake (HR: 1.90; p=0.003), lower socioeconomic status (HR: 0.56; p=0.022), lower heart rate (HR: 0.72; p=0.041) and lower health-related quality of life (HR: 0.64; p=0.006) longitudinally predicted elevated blood pressure over four-years. No significant results were observed with composite risk factor patterns in cross-sectional or prospective analyses compared to individual risk factors. Conclusion Early intervention, focussing on individual, rather than composite, modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors, may reduce early-onset hypertension in childhood and the subsequent burden of cardiovascular disease in the global ageing population. Name: Presenting Author Information Article Category Abstract Title Hypertension in Africa Research Team cvolschenk50@gmail.com English Abstract Students - Currently enrolled postgraduate students A prospective analysis to assess the multifactorial risk of childhood-onset hypertension: The ExAMIN Youth SA study Author Affiliation: Email: Chanelle Volschenk Science Theme Basic Authors Name & Surname Title Expertise Affiliation Email Country Chanelle Volschenk Miss Cardiovascular Physiology Hypertension in Africa Research Team cvolschenk50@gmail.com South Africa Ruan Kruger Prof Paediatric hypertension Hypertension in Africa Research Team; South African Medical Research Council Extramural Unit for Cardiovascular Disease ruan.kruger@nwu.ac.za South Africa Esme Jansen van Vuren Dr Cardiovascular physiology and biological psychiatry Hypertension in Africa Research Team; South African Medical Research Council Extramural Unit for Cardiovascular Disease esme.jansenvanvuren@nwu.ac.za South Africa Annemarie Wentzel Dr Neurocardiology and cardiometabolic stress reactivity Hypertension in Africa Research Team; South African Medical Research Council Extramural Unit for Cardiovascular Disease annemarie.wentzel@nwu.ac.za South Africa ORAL PRESENTATION
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