Retinal vascular density in children with hypertension

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nephrology
• Ophthalmology
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Hypertension in children and adolescents can lead to serious kidney and eye complications.
• Early detection is crucial for preventing irreversible organ damage.
• This study investigates early markers of organ damage in pediatric hypertension.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess kidney injury markers (creatinine, urea, uric acid, cystatin C, 24-h microalbuminuria) in children with newly diagnosed hypertension.
• To evaluate ophthalmological changes using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCT-A).
• To identify early signs of organ damage in pediatric hypertension.

Main Methods:

• Studied 56 children/adolescents with newly diagnosed hypertension and 15 controls.
• Performed echocardiography, abdominal ultrasound, ophthalmological exams, and urine/blood tests.
• Utilized OCT and OCT-A for retinal imaging.

Main Results:

• Elevated cystatin C levels were observed in hypertensive patients.
• Hypertensive children showed decreased Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) (90.31 ± 13.00 ml/min/1.73 m²).
• OCT-A revealed decreased retinal vessel density in the hypertensive group compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric hypertension is associated with increased cystatin C and reduced GFR.
• OCT-A may serve as a diagnostic tool for early microvascular changes in pediatric hypertension.
• Understanding microvascular changes is vital for managing hypertension comorbidities.