Study focuses on diagnosing high BP in children

Washington: The recent study provides insights on evaluating high blood pressure for diagnosing hypertension among children. The study was published in the journal Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Diagnostic workup for hypertension in children may include wearing a device that monitors blood pressure over 24 hours. Blood pressure load-the proportion of elevated blood pressure readings detected over 24 hours--is used in addition to average blood pressure as part of the criteria for diagnosing hypertension in children. Use of blood pressure load in everyday practice may lead to confusion in scenarios where a child has elevated blood pressure load but normal average blood pressure, however, and it's unclear how a high blood pressure load (with normal average blood pressure) affects long-term health. To provide insight, Jason Lee, MD (University of California, San Francisco) studied 533 children with chronic kidney disease who underwent 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, along with tests related to kidney and heart health over several years. Based on data, the team grouped children as having normal blood pressure, high blood pressure load but without high average blood pressure, and high average blood pressure. One-quarter of the children had high blood pressure load. Having high blood pressure load by itself was not associated with higher risks of developing kidney failure or a condition called left ventricular hypertrophy which can develop in response to high blood pressure. “Having high average blood pressure on a 24hour blood pressure test does strongly predict a child’s cardiac disease risk,” Dr Lee added. — ANI