Hypertension and Diabetic Kidney Disease in Children and Adolescents

Primary and secondary paediatric hypertension

High blood pressure (BP) or hypertension is a well known risk factor for developing heart attack, stroke, atrial fibrillation and renal failure. Although in the past hypertension was supposed to develop at middle age, it is now widely recognized that it begins early during childhood. As such, approximately 5-10% of children and adolescents are hypertensive. Unlike that previously reported, it is now widely accepted that primary hypertension is the most diffuse form of high BP encountered even in paediatric age, while secondary hypertension accounts just for a minority of the cases. There are significant differences between that outlined by the European Society of Hypertension (ESH), the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), and the last statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) concerning the BP cut-offs to identify young hypertensive individuals. Not only that, but the AAP have also excluded obese children in the new normative data. This is undoubtedly a matter of concern. Conversely, both the AAP and ESH/ESC agree that medical therapy should be reserved just for nonresponders to measures like weight loss/salt intake reduction/increase in aerobic exercise. Secondary hypertension often occurs in aortic coarctation or chronic renal disease patients. The former can develop hypertension despite early effective repair. This is associated with significant morbidity and is arguably the most important adverse outcome in about 30% of these subjects. Also, syndromic patients, for example those with Williams syndrome, may suffer from a generalized aortopathy, which triggers increased arterial stiffness and hypertension. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art situation regarding primary and secondary paediatric hypertension.

Younger-onset versus older-onset type 2 diabetes: Clinical profile and complications

AIMS

To compare the clinical profile and complications between younger and older onset type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients at a tertiary care diabetes center in south India.

METHODS

We compared individuals with T2DM detected at age ≤25years (n=267) and at age≥50years (n=267), matched for gender and duration of diabetes. We reviewed electronic patient charts and extracted data on biochemical parameters (plasma glucose, serum lipids and glycated hemoglobin). We estimated prevalence of complications (retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and peripheral vascular disease). We examined odds of having each complication, after adjusting for clinical differences between younger- and older-onset T2DM.

RESULTS

Individuals with younger-onset T2DM had significantly greater glycated hemoglobin (8.7 vs. 7.5%), serum cholesterol (160 vs. 148mg/dl), serum triglycerides (147 vs. 128mg/dl), LDL cholesterol (92 vs. 82mg/dl) and lower HDL cholesterol levels (39 vs. 42mg/dl). However, waist circumference (90.4 vs. 92.6cm) and systolic blood pressure (125 vs. 133mmHg) were significantly higher in older onset T2DM. Prevalence of retinopathy (47.6 vs. 31.0%) was higher in younger onset T2DM while neuropathy (41.8 vs. 9.2%) and peripheral vascular disease (6.2 vs. 1.2%) were higher in older onset T2DM. In multiple logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for glycated hemoglobin, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia, younger onset T2DM had a higher odds of developing retinopathy [Odds Ratio: 2.19; Confidence Intervals: 1.42-3.38] when compared to older onset T2DM.

CONCLUSIONS

Younger onset T2DM patients have worse glycemic and lipid control, and higher prevalence of retinopathy compared to older onset T2DM patients. This underscores the need for more aggressive metabolic control in young-onset T2DM.