Hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy in pediatric peritoneal dialysis patients: ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and echocardiographic evaluation.

Background: Hypertension is a frequent complication of end-stage renal disease and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is common in patients with poorly controlled hypertension. The aim of this study was to evaluate hypertension in pediatric peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, to compare casual and ambulatory blood pressure (BP) measurements and to evaluate the impact of BP parameters on LVH.

Methods: The study comprised 25 PD patients (9 M, 16 F; mean age 14.14 +/- 3.32 years) that have been followed in outpatient clinics. Medical records were reviewed for demographic features; casual BP measurements, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and echocardiographic evaluation were applied to all patients.

Results: The mean 24-hour and daytime systolic blood pressure (SBP) values were found to be higher than casual SBP (p < 0.001). Significant difference was present in the frequency of hypertension between casual SBP (32%) and the mean daytime SBP (56%) (p < 0.05). Nighttime systolic hypertension was detected in 14 (56%) and diastolic hypertension in 16 (64%) patients. Elevated daytime SBP load and DBP load were detected in 64 and 76% of the patients, respectively. Elevated nighttime SBP load and DBP load were detected in 72% of the patients. Seventeen (68%) patients had attenuated dipping for SBP. The mean left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was 52.65 +/- 18.17 g/m(2.7) and 13 (52%) patients had LVH. LVMI was significantly correlated with casual BP measurements and the majority of ABPM parameters.

Conclusion: The majority of pediatric PD patients had BP abnormalities in which severity was most accurately assessed with ABPM. Casual BP and majority of ABPM parameters were found to be significantly correlated with LVMI. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring should be performed in all pediatric PD patients.