The Effects of Sex and Pubertal Maturation on Cardiovagal Baroreflex Sensitivity

ObjectiveTo examine baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) across different stages of pubertal maturation in healthy children and adolescents.Study designThis study was cross-sectional and included 104 participants (53 males and 51 females) aged 8-18 years old. Participants were organized into 5 pubertal groups based on the criteria of Tanner; prepubertal (Tanner 1, n = 19), early-pubertal (Tanner 2, n = 16), peripubertal (Tanner 3, n = 24), late-pubertal (Tanner 4, n = 23), and postpubertal (Tanner 5 and 6, n = 22). Adiposity (fat-free mass, fat mass, and body fat%), body mass index, and demographic variables were collected. Beat-by-beat blood pressure and R-R interval were collected during supine rest to determine BRS. BRS was assessed by transfer function analysis in the low frequency range (0.05-0.15 Hz).ResultsThe results demonstrated a sex-by-maturation interaction [F(4, 94) = 3.202, P = .019]. BRS decreased from early-to postpuberty in males (30 [7.1] vs 13.2 [7.8] ms/mm Hg), and remained unchanged in females. This led to significantly greater BRS in females compared with males, postpuberty (27 [7.3] vs 13.2 [7.8] ms/mm Hg).ConclusionsControlling for both sex and maturation when examining BRS in children and adolescents with cardiovascular disease risk factors will aid in interpreting abnormally high or low BRS values.