Genetic determinants of childhood blood pressure and heart rate in relation to adult health outcomes: the consortium of childhood blood pressure
Authors' conclusion
These findings advance the understanding of the genetic architecture of childhood BP and HR and provide compelling genetic evidence linking childhood BP to a broad spectrum of adult health outcomes-particularly cardiometabolic conditions
Study context
- Population
- Children of European ancestry aged 4–17 years; follow-up in independent cohorts of diverse ancestries and the UK BiobankHR n = 22,565
- Participants
- 28,425 children
- Outcome
- Genetic loci for childhood SBP, DBP, pulse pressure, mean arterial pressure and HR
Methodological detailspolygenic risk score analyses, phenome-wide association study
- Polygenic risk score analyses
- Phenome-wide association study
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Genome-wide significant loci for childhood blood pressure (BP) (KIAA2013, CACNB2, PLCE1, PAX2, COL4A2, RP11-236L14.1, CFDP1, TPX2)
8
Loci for childhood HR (CCDC141, ACHE, MYH6); all novel in children, previously reported in adults
3
Further pooled results
Variance explained by childhood polygenic risk score (PRSs) (European ancestry)
- BP variance, up to
- 1.6%
- HR variance, up to
- 5.2%
Genetic correlation, childhood vs adult BP traits
- Moderate (rg), suggesting age-specific genetic effects
- 0.4-0.7
Childhood BP PRS and adult outcomes (UK Biobank)
- Higher PRS significantly associated with broad range of adult outcomes, particularly hypertension, angina, MI and CVD-related mortality
Original publication
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it