[Experiences with ambulatory long-term blood pressure measurement in childhood and adolescence]

In a period of more than 2 years experiences with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in children and adolescents aged from 2 years onward were collected, and practicability and clinical possibilities of diagnostic use were examined. We used the Medilog-ABP apparatus (Oxford Medical, Oxford Instruments Group P.L.C.), which functions fully automatically by the auscultatory method. The following results can be stated: 1. ABPM is accepted very well by young patients. Disturbances of normal behavior or sleep occurred in only 10% of the cases. 2. The rate of fault values in ambulatory long-term use is about 30%, by which useful diagnostic information is guaranteed. 3. By invasive and non-invasive parallel measurements a good validity of the values could be proved. 4. The amount of information provided by this method must be considered very great in clinical questions. ABPM allows a detailed evaluation of circadian blood pressure patterns, and an individual adjustment of circulation therapies. According to our experiences ambulatory blood pressure monitoring thus represents an enrichment of circulation diagnostics in pediatrics.