Essential hypertension: sodium-lithium countertransport in erythrocytes from patients and from children having one hypertensive parent.

This report deals with the possibility that there is a specific change of the lithium transport across the membrane of erythrocytes from patients with essential hypertension. Sodium-lithium countertransport was significantly increased (p less than 0.005) in erythrocytes from 17 males with essential hypertension (mean 0.7 mmole (liter cells X hr)-1, range 0.4-1.6) compared to a group of 16 normotensive males (mean, 0.4 mmole (liter cells X hr)-1, range 0.3-0.6). A considerable overlap between the values from patients and controls was found. No significant increase of the transport function was found in a group of 14 female patients (mean 0.4 mmole (liter cells X hr)-1, range 0.2-0.6) compared with 10 normotensive female controls (mean 0.3 mmole (liter c hr)-1, range 0.3-0.6). A considerable overlap between the values from patients and controls was found. No significant increase of the transport function was found in a group of 14 female patients (mean 0.4 mmole (liter cells X hr)-1, range 0.2-0.6) compared with 10 normotensive female controls (mean 0.3 mmole (liter c hr)-1, range 0.3-0.6). A considerable overlap between the values from patients and controls was found. No significant increase of the transport function was found in a group of 14 female patients (mean 0.4 mmole (liter cells X hr)-1, range 0.2-0.6) compared with 10 normotensive female controls (mean 0.3 mmole (liter cells X hr)-1, range 0.1-0.6). Determination of sodium-lithium countertransport in red blood cells from nine children with and 14 without known familial disposition for essential hypertension did not demonstrate a close coupling between genetic disposition and the membrane transport function. In spite of the very small intraindividual variability of the transport function, studies of changes in sodium-lithium counter-transport are hampered by considerable interindividual variability of the transport in red cells from apparently normal individuals.

Blood pressure in childhood: pooled findings of six European studies.

In an attempt to study and prevent the development of hypertension, there is a growing interest in measuring blood pressure in children. The aim of this is to detect and monitor those with a relatively high level of blood pressure. Until now, reference values on blood pressure in children are based on data from North-American youngsters. The present study provides percentile charts based on pooled data from studies on blood pressure conducted in six North-West European countries among 28,043 children. These blood pressure centiles are presented as age-, height- and gender-specific. Brief guidelines for blood pressure measurements in childhood and for detection of children with a relatively high blood pressure are included.

Maternal smoking during childhood and increased risk of smoking in young adulthood.

BACKGROUND: Effective prevention of smoking depends on the identification of factors that determine smoking onset. We examined the influence of family factors during childhood (household income, parents' education and smoking behaviour) on the subsequent risk of smoking in young adults. METHODS: In 1979, 1300 children aged 6-18 years, whose parents were randomly selected for participation in the Copenhagen City Heart Study were invited to a health examination. Information about health and smoking behaviour was obtained from 73% of the children. A random sample of 579 of the children were invited to a follow-up examination 13 years later. In all, 486 (84%) participated in the follow-up. RESULTS: The influence of household income, parents' smoking behaviour and education on the child's risk of becoming a smoker in young adulthood was estimated. Household income and parents' education did not significantly affect the risk of adult smoking. Maternal smoking during childhood increased the risk in comparison with the mother being a non-smoker (adjusted odds ratio = 1.95; 95% confidence interval: 1.07-3.58). CONCLUSION: Maternal smoking during childhood increases children's risk of becoming young adult smokers, independent of age and smoking behaviour in childhood, gender and social background. In Denmark 28% of smoking in young adults could be attributed to maternal smoking.

[Body height in a population of children in Greater Copenhagen 7 to 18 years of age in 1981 and 1985. The Osterbro child study]. / Højde hos en population af storkøbenhavnske børn i alderen 7-18 år, 1981 og 1985. Osterbro-undersøgelsens børneundersøgelse.

As part of the childrens' section of the Osterbro investigation, a quantity of standard health information concerning 736 boys and girls in 1981 and 892 in 1985 was collected. Review of these values revealed a significantly greater average height (greater than 3 cm) for boys in the age group 8-16 years and for girls aged 7-15 years than in previously published materials. The final height at about the age of 18 years for both girls and boys was not found to deviate significantly from previous results. The height/weight relationship remained unchanged. Current adjustments of the normal curves for childrens' growth should be made and/or an assessment of how well the subpopulation concerned is in agreement with the national average.

[Optic nerve atrophy with particular attention to perinatal damage]. / Synsnervesvind. Med specielt henblik på perinatale skader.

We reviewed the records of children born between 1983 and 1987 reported to the Danish National Register for the Visually Impaired Children and with a diagnosis of optic atrophy. Known or presumed etiology was found in 53 of 55 children. Perinatal stress factors were found in 32 patients (58%), with prematurity, low birth-weight and perinatal asphyxia as the most common findings. 78% of the children in the perinatal damage group were boys. We found that all children with optic atrophy caused by perinatal difficulties had one or more additional handicap. The types of handicaps were cerebral palsy, epilepsy and psychomotor retardation. The importance of paying attention to the fact that multiply handicapped children may be visually impaired on account of optic atrophy is emphasized. Early diagnosis is important in order to start educational stimulation as early as possible. It is concluded that visual impairment caused by perinatal damage to some extent is preventable. The strategy for prevention should be based upon better identification of specific etiologies as well as a better understanding of the pathogenesis of infantile optic neuropathy.

[Food composition and serum lipids in children]. / Kostsammensaetning og serum-lipider hos børn.

The composition of the diet is considered to be one of the factors which may be of significance in development of ischaemic heart disease. In order to investigate whether the composition of the diet has a greater influence on the cholesterol levels in children than in adults, af 24-hour dietary interview was carried out on 42 children aged 7-11 years who had previously been examined in the childrens' section of the Osterbro investigation. The children were selected in three groups with low, average and high serum cholesterol levels, respectively. The dietary content of energy-providing substances was compared with the cholesterol values measured. In addition, the composition of the diet in other respects was described and was found to contain, on an average, 40% fat, 14% protein and 42% carbohydrate (of which 14% was sugar). The cholesterol intake was 146 mg/1,000 Kcal. The sugar consumption was low as compared with the national average, approximately 62 g/day. The protein consumption was approximately 2 g per kg body-weight per day. The median total energy intake was 8,024 KJ for girls and 8,569 KJ for boys lower than the recommended daily values and corresponded to a low levels of physical activity. This investigation showed a definite linear connection between the fat energy percentage and the serum cholesterol (alpha = 5.26 p less than 0.005) and that intake of saturated fatty acids, in particular can be related to the cholesterol level (alpha = 2.88 and p less than 0.005). A significantly greater fat energy intake was demonstrated in girls (p less than 0.05) in the group with high serum cholesterol levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Smoking as social heritage. Children whose mothers are smokers are more likely to become smokers as adults]. / Rygning som social arv. Børn, hvis mor er ryger, har øget risiko for at blive rygere som voksne.

Effective prevention of smoking depends on the identification of factors that determine smoking onset. We examined the influence of family factors during childhood (household income, parent education and smoking behaviour) on the subsequent risk of smoking in young adults. In 1979, 1300 children aged 6-18 years, whose parents were randomly selected for participation in the Copenhagen City Heart Study were invited to a health examination. Information about health and smoking behaviour was obtained from 73% of the children. A random sample of 579 of the children were invited to a follow-up examination 13 years later. Four hundred and eighty-six (84%) participated in the follow-up. The influence of household income, parent smoking behaviour and education on the child's risk of becoming a smoker in young adulthood was estimated. Household income and parent education did not significantly affect the risk of adult smoking. Maternal smoking during childhood increased the risk in comparison with the mother being a non-smoker (Adjusted Odds Ratio 1.95 (95% CI 1.07-3.58). Maternal smoking during childhood increases children's risk of becoming young adult smokers, independent of age and smoking behaviour in childhood, gender and social background. In Denmark 28% of smoking in young adults could be attributed to maternal smoking.