Evaluation of pediatric patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension: yield of diagnostic testing.

Objective: Children and adolescents with newly diagnosed hypertension undergo various tests to define the cause and target organ consequences of the elevated blood pressure. We tested the hypothesis that the diagnostic yield of individual components of the currently recommended assessment does not justify performance for all patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients who were referred between July 2002 and June 2007 for mild-to-moderate hypertension, defined as maximum blood pressure at >or=95% + 20/10 mmHg.

Pilot study of mycophenolate mofetil for treatment of kidney disease due to congenital urinary tract disorders in children.

Background: Congenital uropathies account for nearly half the chronic kidney disease in children. Immune-mediated injury may contribute to progressive loss of kidney function in affected patients.

Study Design: Open-label uncontrolled pilot study to determine the feasibility of treatment with the immunosuppressive drug mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) to prevent a decrease in kidney function in pediatric patients with congenital uropathies.