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Published on: December 9, 2015
Prevalence of hypertension in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis and associations with disease course: A case-control
Darina Dinov1, Alexia Richie2, Brenna Kent3
1Division of Child Neurology, Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Richmond, VCU Health System, Richmond, VA, USA.
Insights
Pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS) is linked to a higher prevalence of hypertension (HTN). This comorbidity in youth with MS may increase the risk of inflammatory lesion development.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
- Cardiology
Background:
- Adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) exhibit increased hypertension (HTN) rates, correlating with greater disability.
- The prevalence and impact of HTN in pediatric-onset MS (POMS) remain largely uncharacterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of HTN in individuals with POMS.
- To investigate the association between HTN and disease activity in POMS.
Main Methods:
- A multicenter retrospective study compared blood pressure (BP) in individuals with POMS (iwPOMS) against matched controls.
- Hypertension was defined using American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines based on at least three elevated BP recordings.
- Disease activity was assessed via neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and new T2-hyperintense lesions on MRI.
Main Results:
- The study included 96 iwPOMS and 96 controls, revealing a significantly higher HTN prevalence in iwPOMS (22%) compared to controls (6%).
- iwPOMS demonstrated elevated systolic BP at baseline and longitudinally at 12 and 24 months.
- A higher incidence of new T2-hyperintense lesions was observed at 24 months in iwPOMS with HTN.
Conclusions:
- Individuals with POMS have a greater prevalence of hypertension compared to matched controls.
- The co-occurrence of HTN in youth with MS may elevate the risk for developing inflammatory lesions.
Background:
Adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a higher prevalence of hypertension (HTN) which associates with greater disability and worsened clinical outcomes; however, the prevalence of this in pediatric-onset MS (POMS) is unknown. The aim of this study is to identify the prevalence of HTN in POMS and evaluate the association between HTN and POMS disease activity.
Methods:
This multicenter retrospective study evaluated blood pressure (BP) recordings in individuals with POMS (iwPOMS) compared to matched controls. Four time points were assessed: baseline visit and follow-up at 6, 12, and 24 months. HTN was defined as ≥3 BP recordings either ≥130/80 or >95 % for age, sex, and weight per American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and new, T2-hyperintense lesion count on MRI were recorded as a metric of disease activity or progression in iwPOMS.
Results:
Ninety-six iwPOMS and 96 matched controls were included. Compared to controls, iwPOMS had a higher prevalence of HTN (POMS with HTN 22 % vs. controls with HTN 6 %; p = 0.0018). Additionally, iwPOMS exhibited elevated systolic BP recordings compared to controls at baseline (35 % vs. 9 %; p = 0.0002) and longitudinally at 12-months (36 % vs. 13 %; p = 0.007) and 24-months (38 % vs. 14 %; p = 0.005). Presence of new T2-hyperintense lesions was higher at 24 months in iwPOMS with HTN (73 % vs 40 %; p = 0.04), despite similar patterns of DMT use. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was not different between groups.
Conclusion:
Compared to matched controls, iwPOMS have a higher prevalence of HTN. The co-morbid presence of HTN in youth with MS may heighten risk of inflammatory lesion development.
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