Blood Pressure Outcomes in NICU-Admitted Infants with Neonatal Hypertension: A Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium Study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the blood pressure outcomes of infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with idiopathic (nonsecondary) hypertension (HTN) who were discharged on antihypertensive therapy. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, multicenter study of 14 centers within the Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium. We included all infants with a diagnosis of idiopathic HTN discharged from the NICU on antihypertensive treatment. The primary outcome was time to discontinuation of antihypertensive therapy, grouped into (≤6 months, >6 months to 1 year, and >1 year). Comparisons between groups were made with χ2 tests, Fisher's exact tests, and ANOVA. RESULTS: Data from 118 infants (66% male) were included. Calcium channel blockers were the most prescribed class of antihypertensives (56%) in the cohort. The percentages remaining on antihypertensives after NICU discharge were 60% at 6 months, 26% at 1 year, and 7% at 2 years. Antenatal steroid treatment was associated with decreased likelihood of antihypertensive therapy >1 year after discharge. CONCLUSIONS: This multicenter study reports that most infants admitted to the NICU diagnosed with idiopathic HTN will discontinue antihypertensive treatment by 2 years after NICU discharge. These data provide important insights into the outcome of neonatal HTN, but should be confirmed prospectively.

Increased prevalence of renal and urinary tract anomalies in children with congenital hypothyroidism.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the prevalence of congenital renal and urologic anomalies in children with congenital hypothyroidism to determine whether further renal and urologic investigations would be of benefit. STUDY DESIGN: Prevalence of congenital hypothyroidism was obtained from the New York State Congenital Malformation Registry. The occurrence of urinary tract anomalies were calculated for children with congenital hypothyroidism and compared to children without congenital hypothyroidism. In addition we obtained congenital hypothyroidism data from New York State newborn screening, and the cases were matched to Congenital Malformation Registry. RESULTS: Analysis of Congenital Malformation Registry data showed 980 children with congenital hypothyroidism and 3 661 585 children without congenital hypothyroidism born in New York State (1992-2005). Children with congenital hypothyroidism have a significantly increased risk of congenital renal and urological anomalies with the odds ratio (OR) of 13.2 (10.6-16.5). The other significantly increased defects in congenital hypothyroidism were cardiac, gastrointestinal, and skeletal. Analysis of matched data confirmed an increase of congenital renal and urologic anomalies with OR of 4.8 (3.7-6.3). CONCLUSIONS: Children with congenital hypothyroidism have an increased prevalence of congenital renal and urologic anomalies. We suggest that these children should be evaluated for the presence of congenital renal and urologic anomalies with renal ultrasonography, and that further studies of common genes involved in thyroid and kidney development are warranted.