Blood pressure and cardiovascular involvement in children with neurofibromatosis type1.
We evaluated blood pressure in a sample of patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), to determine whether ABPM, when compared with casual BP recordings, allowed the detection of a higher risk for hypertension. We also evaluated the correlation between BP and vascular abnormalities. We studied 69 NF1 patients (36 males and 33 females) with a mean age of 11+/-4 years, divided into group A, with 24-h mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) <95th percentile, and group B, with mean SBP or DBP >95th percentile. Standard electrocardiography and M-mode, two-dimensional echocardiography were performed and all patients were in sinus rhythm. ABPM identified 11 hypertensive patients (16%); 5 had a mean SBP >95th percentile, 3 mean SBP-DBP >95th percentile, and 3 a mean DBP >95th percentile. Laboratory and other investigations to exclude secondary hypertension were normal. Cardiac abnormalities were found in 13 of the 69 patients (18.8%) with NF1. There were no significant clinical and cardiac differences between the normotensive and hypertensive group. Our data emphasize the importance of periodic ABPM in NF1 patients to diagnose hypertension early and avoid target organ damage and increased mortality.
Department of Pediatrics, Second University of Naples, Via L. De Crecchio 4, 80138 Naples, Italy. giuliana.lama@unina2.it
Giuliana
G
Lama
Luisa
L
Graziano
Elvira
E
Calabrese
Carolina
C
Grassia
Pier Francesco
PF
Rambaldi
Fabrizio
F
Cioce
Michele Adolfo
MA
Tedesco
Giovanni
G
Di Salvo
Maria
M
Esposito-Salsano
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000150:complications*; D012307:Risk Factors