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Updated: Jul 11, 2026
Transcutaneous Microcirculatory Imaging in Preterm Neonates
Published on: December 31, 2015
Abnormal circadian blood pressure regulation in children born preterm
Umut Selda Bayrakci1, Franz Schaefer, Ali Duzova
1Division of Pediatric Nephrology, University Hospital for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. ukavak@yahoo.com
Insights
Children born prematurely may have subtle blood pressure (BP) regulation issues, particularly an elevated nocturnal systolic BP. This abnormality is more pronounced in those with intrauterine growth restriction.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiovascular Health
- Neonatology
Background:
- Prematurity is a significant global health concern.
- Understanding long-term health implications of prematurity is crucial.
- Blood pressure regulation in premature infants requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between prematurity and blood pressure (BP).
- To evaluate BP patterns using 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM).
- To identify potential differences in BP regulation between preterm and term-born children.
Main Methods:
- Ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) was conducted on 41 children born prematurely (aged 5-17 years).
- A subgroup of preterm children had intrauterine growth restriction (n=11).
- 27 matched term-born children served as controls.
Main Results:
- No significant daytime BP differences were observed between preterm and control groups.
- Preterm children exhibited elevated nocturnal standardized systolic BP (P < .05).
- A lack of nocturnal BP decrease was more common in preterm children (73% vs. 41%, P = .01), especially those with intrauterine growth restriction.
Conclusions:
- Children born prematurely show subtle BP regulation abnormalities in childhood.
- Elevated nocturnal systolic BP is a key indicator of these abnormalities.
- Intrauterine growth restriction exacerbates these BP regulation issues in preterm children.
Objective:
To assess a possible relationship between prematurity and casual blood pressure (BP) by means of 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM).
Study Design:
ABPM was performed in 41 children aged 5 to 17 years who were born prematurely with (n = 11) or without intrauterine growth restriction, and in 27 matched children who were born at term with a birth weight appropriate for gestational age.
Results:
Although BP did not differ between the preterm group and control subjects during the daytime, nocturnal standardized systolic BP was elevated (P < .05) and a lack of nocturnal decrease was more prevalent in the preterm children compared with the control subjects (73% versus 41%, P = .01). The difference was caused by a marked increase of nighttime systolic BP in the light-for-date children (1.17 +/- 0.61 standard deviation scores; P < .01), although preterm children with appropriate weight (0.33 +/- 1.00) were not different from control subjects (0.09 +/- 0.73). Nighttime BP standard deviation scores were closely correlated with standardized heart rate, compatible with a role of sympathetic hyperactivation.
Conclusion:
Subtle abnormalities of BP regulation, indicated by a selective increase of nocturnal systolic BP, are present during childhood in subjects born prematurely, and are prominent in those with intrauterine growth restriction.
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