title: Hypertension screening during healthcare pediatric visits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Guidelines in both Europe and the United States recommend screening for hypertension during child care pediatric visits in children above 3 years old. The aims of the study were to assess the frequency of blood pressure (BP) measurement during preventive or chronic care pediatric visits and determine the factors that may associate with screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively included in the study consecutive children hospitalized in our department. Anthropometric measurements were performed in all children. Office BP was measured in children above 5 years old and mothers and/or fathers. Personal and family history, and self-reported BP screening during pediatric visits were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hypertension screening had been performed at least once in 45.3% of the children during pediatric visits. Fifty per cent of the children with elevated BP levels had never been screened for hypertension. Low birth weight, history of prematurity, or chronic disease was not associated with increased frequency of screening, whereas screening was more likely in children above 3 years old with positive personal history (odds ratio 2.35, 95% confidence interval 1.07-5.15, P < 0.05). Obesity tended to increase the frequency of hypertension screening in all ages (odds ratio 2.60, 95% confidence interval 0.93-7.28, P = 0.06). Moreover, 37.5% of children without positive personal history exhibited BP levels above the 90th percentile, and 13.5% of mothers and 31.1% of fathers were not aware of their own elevated BP levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that hypertension screening does not occur during pediatric visits for a considerable percentage of children, although a significant number of children and adolescents without positive history of hypertension or chronic disease may have elevated office BP levels.
authors: aPediatric Nephrology Unit, 1st Pediatric Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration Hospital bMedical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki c3rd Department of Medicine, ESH Center of Excellence, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Papageorgiou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Stella
authors: S
authors: Stabouli
authors: Lazaros
authors: L
authors: Sideras
authors: Georgia
authors: G
authors: Vareta
authors: Marianna
authors: M
authors: Eustratiadou
authors: Nikoleta
authors: N
authors: Printza
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Dotis
authors: Vasilios
authors: V
authors: Kotsis
authors: Fotios
authors: F
authors: Papachristou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009765:Obesity; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010290:Parents; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies