Blood Pressure Outcomes in NICU-Admitted Infants with Neonatal Hypertension: A Pediatric Nephrology Research...

To describe the blood pressure outcomes of infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with idiopathic (nonsecondary) hypertension (HTN) who were discharged on antihypertensive therapy.

Retrospective, multicenter study of 14 centers within the Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium. We included all infants with a diagnosis of idiopathic HTN discharged from the NICU on antihypertensive treatment. The primary outcome was time to discontinuation of antihypertensive therapy, grouped into (≤6 months, >6 months to 1 year, and >1 year). Comparisons between groups were made with χ² tests, Fisher's exact tests, and ANOVA.

Data from 118 infants (66% male) were included. Calcium channel blockers were the most prescribed class of antihypertensives (56%) in the cohort. The percentages remaining on antihypertensives after NICU discharge were 60% at 6 months, 26% at 1 year, and 7% at 2 years. Antenatal steroid treatment was associated with decreased likelihood of antihypertensive therapy >1 year after discharge.

This multicenter study reports that most infants admitted to the NICU diagnosed with idiopathic HTN will discontinue antihypertensive treatment by 2 years after NICU discharge. These data provide important insights into the outcome of neonatal HTN, but should be confirmed prospectively.