Reclassification of Adolescent Ambulatory Prehypertension and Unclassified Blood Pressures by 2022 American Heart Association Pediatric Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring Guidelines.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiology of reclassification of prehypertensive and unclassified adolescents by 2022 American Heart Association pediatric ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) guidelines, and to evaluate the association of the new diagnostic categories with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). STUDY DESIGN: A single-center, retrospective review of ABPM reports from adolescents 13-21 years old, from 2015 through 2022, was performed. Adolescents with prehypertension or unclassified by 2014 guidelines were reclassified by 2022 definitions. Logistic regression models evaluated the association of reclassification phenotypes with LVH. RESULTS: A majority of prehypertensive adolescents reclassified to hypertension (70%, n = 49/70). More than one-half (57%, n = 28/49) of the hypertension was isolated nocturnal hypertension, and 80% was systolic hypertension. Reclassification to hypertension was more common in males. The majority (55.6%) of unclassified adolescents were reclassified to normotension. No demographic or clinical variables were associated with reclassification categories. LVH was not associated with hypertension in the reclassified prehypertensive or unclassified groups. CONCLUSIONS: The 2022 ABPM guidelines clearly define blood pressure phenotypes. However, reclassification to hypertension was not associated with an increased odds of LVH. Because most prehypertensive adolescents reclassified as hypertensive by nighttime BPs alone, this study highlights the lowered threshold for nocturnal hypertension. Prospective studies in larger, well-defined cohorts are needed to describe better the predictive value of 2022 BP phenotypes for target organ damage.

Acute kidney injury in pediatric patients hospitalized with acute COVID-19 and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children associated with COVID-19.

This study describes the incidence, associated clinical characteristics and outcomes of acute kidney injury in a pediatric cohort with COVID-19 and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). We performed a retrospective study of patients 18 years of age and under admitted to four New York hospitals in the Northwell Health System interned during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, between March 9 and August 13, 2020. Acute kidney injury was defined and staged according to Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria. The cohort included 152 patients; 97 acute-COVID-19 and 55 with MIS-C associated with COVID-19. Acute kidney injury occurred in 8 with acute-COVID-19 and in 10 with MIS-C. Acute kidney injury, in unadjusted models, was associated with a lower serum albumin level (odds ratio 0.17; 95% confidence interval 0.07, 0.39) and higher white blood cell counts (odds ratio 1.11; 95% confidence interval 1.04, 1.2). Patients with MIS-C and acute kidney injury had significantly greater rates of systolic dysfunction, compared to those without (80% vs 49%). In unadjusted models, patients with acute kidney injury had 8.4 days longer hospitalizations compared to patients without acute kidney injury (95% confidence interval, 4.4-6.7). Acute kidney injury in acute-COVID-19 and MIS-C may be related to inflammation and/or dehydration. Further research in larger pediatric cohorts is needed to better characterize risk factors for acute kidney injury in acute-COVID-19 and with MIS-C consequent to COVID-19.

COVID-19 infection in a pediatric kidney transplant population: A single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: The clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 in the pediatric kidney transplant population is not well described. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of a pediatric kidney transplant population at a New York transplant center. Baseline characteristics and clinical course of patients with SARS-CoV-2 positivity (Ab or PCR) were described, and comparison between COVID-positive and COVID-negative transplant patients was performed. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients had COVID-19 IgG testing performed, eight of whom also had PCR testing. 23% of our cohort had evidence of COVID-19 infection. Four patients had positive IgG only, and one patient had a positive PCR. All five patients with a positive COVID test were female. Two patients had COVID-19 symptoms, which were mild. Of the symptomatic patients, one had a positive PCR at time of symptoms, while the other had a negative PCR during symptoms but subsequently had positive IgG. As compared to patients with COVID-19 negative results, those with COVID-19 positivity were significantly more likely to have a known COVID-19 exposure, and were also more likely to be female. There was no significant difference in time from transplant between the groups. Those in the COVID-positive group had higher baseline antimetabolite dose and CNI troughs, although these did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric kidney transplant recipients are at risk for development of COVID-19 infection. While this population may be more at risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection due to their immunosuppressed status, their clinical course appears mild and similar to a healthy pediatric population.

Pediatric COVID-19-associated rhabdomyolysis: a case report.

COVID-19 is the illness caused by infection with the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Although myalgia is common in adults, it has not been noted as a common symptom in children. There have been a few reported cases of COVID-19-associated rhabdomyolysis in adults. This case report describes a 16-year-old boy who presented with fever, myalgias, mild shortness of breath with exertion, and dark-colored urine. COVID-19 PCR was positive. His initial creatinine kinase (CK) level was 427,656 U/L. Serum creatinine was normal for age. He was treated with isotonic intravenous fluids containing sodium bicarbonate to maintain urine output of 100-200 mL/h and urine pH > 7.0. His serum creatinine remained normal throughout the hospital stay and he was discharged on hospital day 12 with a CK of 6526 U/L. To our knowledge, no pediatric cases of COVID-19-associated rhabdomyolysis have been previously reported. Adult cases of rhabdomyolysis have been reported and a few reports have noted patients with elevated CK levels without rhabdomyolysis. Given this pediatric case of COVID-19-associated rhabdomyolysis, pediatric clinicians should be aware of this complication and manage fluids appropriately in order to prevent acute kidney injury.

Kidney Biopsy Findings in a Patient With Valproic Acid-Associated Fanconi Syndrome.

A 7-year-old boy with a history of febrile illness-related epilepsy syndrome presented with proteinuria and elevated creatinine. His severe epileptic disorder has been treated since age 2 with multiple antiepileptic medications, including valproic acid. More recently, he was noted to have features of Fanconi syndrome with acidosis, hypophosphatemia, hypokalemia, glucosuria, and nephrotic-range proteinuria. This was managed with supplements; however, in the setting of rising creatinine and prominent proteinuria, a kidney biopsy was performed. Renal cortex revealed markedly decreased expression of proximal tubule markers and increased expression of markers of distal nephron differentiation. Such findings have been described in several genetic and acquired conditions, including renal tubular dysgenesis, severe hypoxic injury following renal artery stenosis, and toxic injury related to in utero exposure to angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors. Such changes have not been reported before in valproic acid-associated Fanconi syndrome, although in general, morphologic findings in this condition have not been well established in the literature.

The prevalence and outcomes of hyponatremia in children with COVID-19 and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

Introduction: To assess the prevalence of hyponatremia among pediatric patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) and determine if pediatric hyponatremia was associated with an increased length of stay, higher rates of mechanical ventilation, and/or elevated inflammatory markers on admission as compared to eunatremic patients. Methods: Electronic health records were retrospectively analyzed for 168 children less than 18 years old with COVID-19 or MIS-C who were admitted to pediatric units within the Northwell Health system. The primary exposure was hyponatremic status (serum sodium <135 mEq/L) and the primary outcomes were length of stay, mechanical ventilation usage and increased inflammatory markers. Results: Of the 168 children in the study cohort, 95 (56%) were admitted for COVID-19 and 73 (43.5%) for MIS-C. Overall, 60 (35.7%) patients presented with hyponatremia on admission. Patients with hyponatremia had higher rates of intensive care unit admission when compared to eunatremic patients (32/60 [53.3%] vs. 39/108 [36.1%], p = 0.030). In regression models, hyponatremia was not significantly associated with increased length of stay or mechanical ventilation rates. After adjustment for relevant confounders, hyponatremia remained associated with an increased square root CRP (ß = 1.79: 95% CI: 0.22-3.36) and lower albumin levels (ß = -0.22: 95% CI: -0.42--0.01). Conclusion: Hyponatremia is common in pediatric COVID-19 and MIS-C. Hyponatremia was associated with a lower albumin and higher square root CRP levels. This may suggest an association of inflammation with lower serum sodium levels.

Acute severe hypertension associated with acute gastroenteritis in children.

Acute severe hypertension in otherwise healthy children with acute illness requiring hospitalization for BP management is uncommon and warrants immediate evaluation. We describe 10 cases of children presenting with acute gastroenteritis and found to have acute severe hypertension. They required admission to the hospital for antihypertensive treatment, including 2 to the intensive care unit, but all had normalization of BP and were able to stop treatment with resolution of the acute illness. All patients had thorough testing for secondary causes of hypertension and for signs of end-target organ damage, which were unremarkable. To our knowledge, acute severe hypertension in the setting of acute gastroenteritis without underlying kidney pathology and with complete resolution after illness has not been previously described. The mechanism of this association is not clear, although activation of the sympathetic nervous system is suspected. These cases illustrate the importance of thoroughly assessing BP in the acute setting.