ARTERIAL STIFFNESS IN ADOLESCENTS WITH PRIMARY ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH QUALITY OF LIFE AND VIDEOGAME ADDICTION

Abstract

Relevance. It is known that arterial stiffness (AS) plays a significant role in the development and progression of arterial hypertension (AH), and psychological factors affect cardiovascular morbidity and mortality to the same extent as demographic and clinical. Objective was to study the relationship between arterial stiffness, quality of life and videogames addiction schoolchildren with primary arterial hypertension. Materials and methods. Twenty-nine children (92 boys, 37 girls) aged 9-17 years (mean 14,49±1,69 years) were examined. The diagnosis was verified according to the results of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. The secondary character of the disease was excluded. The level of arterial hypertension was assessed by the ambulatory pulse pressure (APP), the quality of life by the SF-36, videogame addiction using a special questionnaire. Results. In girls with arterial hypertension APP was higher than 54,08±1,39 mm Hg, in the control group 46,32±1,78 mm Hg (P<0,001), in boys, respectively 60,37±1,39 mm Hg and 49,91±1,21 mm Hg (P<0,001). The scales of "vitality" and "mental health" SF-36 were significantly higher in boys with APP > 55 mm Hg than in boys with APP <55 mm Hg respectively –67,05±3,52 vs 48,54±5,49 and 72,00±3,93 vs 56,00±6,12. A direct correlation was between APP and  "viability" (r = 0,61, P<0,01) and "mental health" (r=0,42, P<0,05), and video game addiction (r=0,63; P<0,01), as well as a direct correlation between the video game addiction and "viability" (r=0,53, P<0,05) and a negative correlation between video game addiction and "physical function" (r = -0,77, P<0,01). Conclusion. Video game addiction in boys with arterial hypertension is associated with a larger arterial stiffness and a decrease of physical functioning.