Prevalence of hypertension in asymptomatic children without risk factors

Abstract

Aim: This two-year a cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of hypertension in asymptomatic children (ages 3-18) without known risk factors, hypothesizing that increased screen time and sedentary lifestyles contribute to rising rates. The cross-sectional study, conducted from January 1, 2021, to January 1, 2022, included children attending the General Pediatrics clinic at İnönü University Faculty of Medicine.

Materials and Methods: Of the 468 participants, 10.3% had prehypertension, 15.2% had stage 1 hypertension, and 7.1% had stage 2 hypertension, resulting in a total hypertension prevalence of 32.5%. The hypertensive group had a significantly higher BMI (19.3±5.4 vs. 17.6±3.6, p<0.001). Paternal coronary artery disease was less prevalent in the hypertensive group (2.6% vs. 7.9%, p=0.038), while maternal obesity was more prevalent (14.4% vs. 6.0%, p=0.003). Spearman's correlation showed a positive association between BMI and hypertension (r: 0.468, p<0.001).

Results: Multiple regression analysis identified BMI (OR 1.154; p<0.001), family history of hypertension (OR 1.543, p=0.040), paternal coronary artery disease (OR 0.282, p=0.026), and maternal obesity (OR 2.238, p=0.022) as independent risk factors. This translates to a 1.154- fold increased risk of hypertension with higher BMI, a 1.543-fold increased risk with a family history, a protective effect (0.282-fold) with paternal coronary artery disease, and a 2.238-fold increased risk with maternal obesity.

Conclusion: This study found a higher prevalence of hypertension than previous research, likely due to the inclusion of prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension. Despite excluding obese children, hypertension correlated with increasing BMI, and family history, paternal coronary artery disease, and maternal obesity were independent predictors. Given the rising prevalence of childhood hypertension, blood pressure measurement is recommended for all 3-18-year-olds, even without known risk factors.