Renovascular hypertension in pediatric patients

Fifteen pediatric patients (ages 5-17 years) with renovascular hypertension (RVH) are reported. The diagnosis was made by arteriogram in all patients as the intravenous pyelogram was not helpful in this group. Five patients had a coarctation of the abdominal aorta. Four of these had associated renal artery stenosis. Renal artery stenosis alone was present in 14 patients, unilateral in 8, and bilateral in 6. Three of the former had a contralateral hypoplastic kidney. A nephrectomy was performed in 2 patients, both of whom continue to be hypertensive. Renal revascularization was performed in 13 patients; one of these died of sepsis. Eight are normotensive, 2 are improved (normotensive with diuretics), and 2 remain hypertensive. The follow-up is from 1 to 15 years.