Renovascular hypertension in children and adolescents

Renovascular disease often leads to hypertension in children. The most frequent cause is fibromuscular dysplasia of focal type affecting main and peripheral arteries. Diastolic readings in excess of 110 mm Hg with normal serum creatinine and urinalysis are suggestive of renovascular disease. Excretory urography was positive in 65% of patients with unilateral disease. Radionuclide scans complement a positive excretory urogram but may be positive when the urogram is negative. Plasma renin activity was raised in the majority of patients; if the patient does not have peripheral branch stenosis, the renal vein renin ratio will lateralize in unilateral renal disease. The overall results of surgery are encouraging: 86% of surgical procedures alleviated hypertension in unilateral disease.