A retrospective analysis of obese, overweight and normal weight patients below 18 years old diagnosed with essential hypertension

A retrospective analysis of obese, overweight and normal weight patients below 18 years old diagnosed with essential hypertension There has been an increase in prevalence of hypertension (HT) in pediatric age group which favors primary HT over secondary HT. Obesity is held responsible for this increase as in all age groups. In this study, we like to point out the important factors in early diagnosis of essential HT, to figure out the markers most related with end organ damage identified during the first assessment of the patients and to identify which parameters of the ABPM related with those markers mentioned above. Two hundred patients who had been initially diagnosed with HT between January of 2008 and 2013 are retrospectively induced in this study. Patients with secondary diseases, patients diagnosed as secondary HT and patients who are being treated with antihypertensive treatment is excluded from this study. Social and demographic data, family history of HT, laboratory results at the time of first assessment, ABPM data and further inspection of end organ damage were all considered in this study. One hundred and eighty patients identified as high blood pressure (HBP) and 20 patients identified with normal blood pressure (NBP) when the results of this study evaluated. Patient group with HBP further grouped as; white coat effect (WCE), prehypertension (PreHT) and HT. High blood pressure group also grouped and compared as; normal weight, overweight and obese evaluated from their respective body mass indices. We find that; increase in body mass index is associated significantly with HT and obesity is significantly increased in HBP group compared to NBP group. When evaluated laboratory results (uric acid, lipid profile, AST, ALT, hemoglobin, aldosterone, proteinuria in 24 hours urine and microalbuminuria); some of ABPM parameters are found significantly correlated with above laboratory results. Non-dipping condition is found significantly higher in obese and overweight patients than normal weight patients in HBP group. End organ damage probability is shown in PreHT and WCE group. The results of our study corresponds with the current literature on this subject and shows that there is an important relationship between HT and obesity or being overweight as laboratory results of hemoglobin, WBC, platelet, uric acid, lipid profile, aldosterone, cortisol, proteinuria in 24 hours urine and microalbuminuria must be evaluated with ABPM results for early diagnosis and treatment of HT.