The effect of the number of electrocardiograms analyzed on cardiovascular disease surveillance: the Minnesota Heart Survey (MHS)

One method used to control costs in community cardiovascular disease surveillance is to limit the number of electrocardiograms (ECGs) used to validate acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The Minnesota Heart Survey investigated the impact of decreasing the maximum number of ECGs analyzed on classification of ECG pattern and final AMI diagnosis (definite, probable, none). A 50% sample of all 1980 acute CHD hospital discharge records (ICD-9 code 410 or 411) from 30 of 31 Twin Cities hospitals were abstracted. Comparing results using all available ECGs in the record (maximum of 12) with those obtained using up to 4 ECGs showed little differences in the ECG classification or final AMI diagnosis.     

Home Versus Clinic Blood Pressure Measurements

To evaluate the cost effectiveness of home versus clinic blood pressure 11 patients with mild untreated hypertension were instructed in self-measurement of blood pressure with mercury manometers. The lower total cost of using home readings as well as problems of bias and blinding are discussed. Home blood pressure is a promising technique for clinical and epidemiologic research.     

Racial Differences in Personality, Behavior, and Family Environment in Minneapolis School Children

Racial differences in personality, behavior, and family environment of lower elementary school children were examined in a sample of 433 black and 897 white children. Numerous significant differences in scores on scales of the Missouri Children''s Picture Series, the Missouri Children''s Behavior Checklist, and the Family Environment Scale persisted after adjustment for socioeconomic status.     

Body mass index growth in a sample of U.S. children: Repeated measures data analysis of the minneapolis children's blood pressure study

Longitudinal assessments of the body mass index (BMI) in children and adolescents are limited. The purpose of the study was to describe the growth patterns of the BMI in children and young adults. Black and White children of Minneapolis Children's Blood Pressure Study (MCBPS) were 6 to 9 years old at entry and were followed for 12 years at 19 separate visits. Those with at least five visits (n = 1,302) were included for analysis, using non‐linear mixed effects models in conjunction with the Gompertz curve. The growth patterns of four sex‐ethnic groups were different at three levels: starting level (SL) (kg/m²), asymptote level (AL) (kg/m²), and peak growth age (PGA) (in years). In this context, SL is the average BMI level at age 6, AL is the average BMI level when growth diminishes, and PGA is the average age at which the rate of growth in the BMI peaks. The SL (16.3 ± 0.1) for White males was significantly greater than SL in the other three sex‐ethnic groups, among which there were no significant differences. There was a significant ethnic difference in AL between Black females (25.5 ± 0.3) and White females (24.4 ± 0.2) and a marginally significant difference in AL between Black females and Black males (24.4 ± 0.3). For PGA, only sex differences were significant: Black females reached the peak at the earliest age at (11.5 ± 0.1) years, followed by White females (11.7 ± 0.1), Black males (12.6 ± 0.1), and White males (12.8 ± 0.1). Am. J. Hum. Biol. 13:821–831, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.