Systemic Hypertension Requiring Treatment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

• Published in: The Journal of pediatrics 2013-07, Vol.163 (1), p.84-88
• Main Authors: Sahu, Raj, DO, Pannu, Hariyadarshi, PhD, Yu, Robert, Shete, Sanjay, PhD, Bricker, John T., MD, Gupta-Malhotra, Monesha, MBBS
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: bronchopulmonary dysplasia; children; diastolic blood pressure; drug therapy; Female; Humans; hypertension; Hypertension - drug therapy; hypertrophy; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Infant, Premature, Diseases - drug therapy; infants; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; Intensive Care, Neonatal; Male; mortality; patent ductus arteriosus; Pediatrics; pregnancy; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors
• ISSN: 0022-3476; 1097-6833
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.12.074

Objectives To determine the difference in the risk factors for systemic hypertension in preterm and term infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Study design Data were collected from an existing database of NICU children and confirmed by chart review. Systemic hypertension was defined when 3 separate measurements of systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure were >95th percentile and an antihypertensive medication was administered for >2 weeks in the NICU. Results Of 4203 infants, we identified 53 (1.3%) with treated hypertension, of whom 74% were preterm, 11% required surgical intervention, and 85% required medications on discharge. The presence of a patent ductus arteriosus, umbilical catheterization, left ventricular hypertrophy, hypertensive medication at discharge, and mortality was similar between the term and preterm infants. The major risk factors for preterm infants, especially those