BLOOD PRESSURE VALUES IN APPARENTLY HEALTHY TERM NIGERIAN NEONATES IN THE FIRST EIGHT DAYS OF LIFE AT LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY TEACHING HOSPITAL, OSOGBO, OSUN STATE

Abstract

Blood pressure measurement is not routinely done in the neonatal period, in spite of its
being an indicator of clinical stability. There is paucity of data on blood pressure of healthy
neonates in Nigeria.
The present study was therefore undertaken to determine the range of normal blood
pressure in apparently healthy full term Nigerian neonates and to develop a blood pressure
normogram for a population of Nigerian healthy term neonates in their first eight days of life.
Consecutive apparently healthy term newborns delivered at Ladoke Akintola University
of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo were studied. The blood pressure (BP) was measured
using the oscillometric method (Stellar 300) with appropriate sized cuffs, applied on the right
arm at 6-24 hours, 48-72 hours, fifth and eighth days of life. The average of three consecutive BP
readings taken at two minutes intervals was recorded. The birth weights, lengths and occipito
frontal circumferences were measured. Other information, such as the subject’s vital signs,
maternal and paternal biodata, were obtained and recorded in a proforma.
Three hundred and eighty-six term neonates were studied during the study period
(September 2012 to April 2013). The overall mean birth weight was 3.10 (0.38) Kg; 3.24 (0.37)
Kg for males and 2.97 (0.33) Kg for females. There was a progressive loss of weight up to the
fifth day of life with average loss of 2.2% of the birth weight. Birth weight was however,
regained by the eighth day of life. The overall mean weight on the eighth day of life was 3.07
(0.38) Kg; 3.22 (0.39) Kg for males and 2.99 (0.30) Kg for females.
The mean values of SBP, DBP and MAP on day 1 were 67.3 (5.6) mmHg, 36.9 (5.0)
mmHg and 48.3 (5.2) mmHg respectively. On day 3, the corresponding values were 71.0 (6.0)
mmHg, 41.5 (5.2) mmHg and 51.7 (5.1) mmHg, while on day 5, the values were 73.8 (5.2)
mmHg, 43.7 (5.3) mmHg and 54.0 (4.9) mmHg. The values were 77.2 (2.9) mmHg, 46.4 (4.7)
mmHg and 56.0 (3.9) mmHg on day 8 of life. The SBP, DBP and MAP progressively increased
with postnatal age (p < 0.001).
There was very weak but positive correlation between the weight and DBP on the fifth
day of life (r = 0.128, p = 0.012). Similarly, there was very weak positive correlation between
weight and SBP at 48–72 hours of life and on the eighth day (r = 0.105; r = 0.168 respectively).
The MAP also correlated positively but weakly with weights at eighth day of life (r = 0.166).
In conclusion, the BP values obtained are positively correlated to weight and postnatal
age, in addition, the blood pressure values of healthy term neonates in this study are similar to
those from other parts of the world. It is recommended that, the blood pressure normogram
which has been developed from a healthy population of Nigerian term neonates be used as a
guide in assessing the blood pressure of Nigerian neonates in the first eight days of life.

BLOOD PRESSURE VALUES IN APPARENTLY HEALTHY TERM NIGERIAN NEONATES IN THE FIRST EIGHT DAYS OF LIFE AT LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY TEACHING HOSPITAL, OSOGBO, OSUN STATE