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High Blood Pressure at Early School Age Among Extreme Preterms

Betty R Vohr1, Roy Heyne2, Carla Bann3

  • 1Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; bvohr@wihri.org.

Pediatrics
|July 29, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Former preterm infants face high blood pressure (BP) risks. Maternal gestational diabetes and rapid weight gain are key risk factors, necessitating close monitoring in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Neonatal Research

Background:

  • Former preterm infants exhibit an elevated risk of developing hypertension as they age.
  • This study focuses on extreme preterm (EPT) infants, assessing their blood pressure (BP) status at 6 to 7 years old.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of high blood pressure (BP) (≥90th percentile) and hypertension (BP ≥95th percentile) in EPT infants at school age.
  • To identify associated risk factors contributing to elevated BP in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Blood pressure (BP) and anthropometric measurements were collected from EPT infants.
  • Statistical analyses, including regression, were used to identify factors associated with high BP (≥90th percentile).

Main Results:

  • High BP was observed in 20.6% (systolic) and 21.4% (diastolic) of EPT infants; hypertension was present in 10.8% (systolic) and 11.4% (diastolic).
  • Significant risk factors included weight gain velocity from 18 months to school age and maternal gestational diabetes (MGD).
  • Even normal-weight EPT children showed high BP, with MGD and public insurance identified as predictors in this subgroup.

Conclusions:

  • Both overweight and normal-weight EPT children are susceptible to high BP and hypertension.
  • Maternal gestational diabetes, public insurance, and accelerated weight gain velocity are critical risk factors.
  • The high prevalence of elevated BP in EPT children at school age underscores the need for ongoing surveillance and intervention.
Abstract

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